New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced his decision to contest from Wayanad constituency in Kerala along with Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, in one of the major political developments in the runup to the Lok Sabha elections 2019.
In addition, making a big poll promise, the Congress president also promised to fill all 22 lakh vacancies in the government and if his party is voted to power. He said devolution of funds from the Centre to the state governments for healthcare, education and other schemes will be linked to these posts. “Today, there are 22 lakh job vacancies in government. We will have these vacancies filled by March 31, 2020. Devolution of funds from the Centre to each state government for healthcare, education etc., will be linked to these vacant positions being filled,” Gandhi said in a tweet on Sunday.
On the other hand, showcasing opposition unity, West Bengal Chief Minister and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday appealed to people to vote only for “friendly parties” in the coming Lok Sabha election to oust the Narendra Modi government.
Terming the Modi regime as “one of the most corrupt governments in the last 70 years”, Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, and Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party chief, that the country is passing through an “emergency-like situation” and only the people can do something – by not voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a mega campaign rally for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at the Indira Priyadarshini Municipal Stadium in this port town, Banerjee said, “This is a special election. Think and vote. Chandrababuji’s name is synonymous with Andhra Pradesh’s development.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with supporters of ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign via video conferencing from New Delhi’s Talkatora stadium on Sunday. Projecting himself as an anti-corruption crusader, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had brought those indulging in corruption to the jail and indicated that they would be jailed after 2019 elections.
Interacting with people in more than 500 locations across the country under “Main Bhi Chowkidar” campaign, the Prime Minister added that he spent five years in fulfilling the country’s requirements and his next five years will be focused on addressing its aspirations.
Hitting out at the Congress, Modi alleged that the Opposition was spreading lies and misleading the people. He urged the youth to be vigilant and analyse their track record.
“They have been saying that there are no terror camps. Now they have to hide it. They are not allowing anybody to go there. We have been told Balakot area is being reconstructed by Pakistan to show that a school is being run there, so that people can be taken there and shown that no terror camp existed there,” he said.
The Prime Minister emphasised on the principle of the NDA government- which is to honour the honest and that honest taxpayers do not face any difficulty. He then further asserted, “When 130 crore people of the country decide to take the nation to new heights, no force can stop India from becoming a developed nation,” he said.