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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that Congress' tally in the Lok Sabha polls will be an “all-time low”, as he mocked its leader Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli seat, “sensing defeat” at Wayanad where he is a sitting MP.
Addressing a rally in the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat, Modi said that if Congress is voted to power, it would “snatch” quotas meant for the Scheduled Caste, Dalits and OBCs and give those to its “jihadi vote bank” to pursue the party's “appeasement politics”.
Modi also slammed the opposition bloc INDIA and Congress for “supporting” the "vote jihad" comments made by a candidate of the Samajwadi Party (SP), an ally of the grand old party in Uttar Pradesh.
“There is no need for opinion polls or exit polls, as I had talked about their (Congress) defeat long back in Parliament. When their senior leader quit her Lok Sabha seat and entered Parliament through Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, it was evident that they sensed defeat,” Modi said, in an apparent dig at Sonia Gandhi.
"I told you earlier that the shehzaada would start looking for another safe seat for himself, fearing defeat in Wayanad. He was so afraid after losing Amethi in 2019 that he bolted all the way down South, to Wayanad. Now, he has escaped to Raebareli. These people often go around telling people, Daro maat (don't be afraid). It's now my turn to say the same to them -- Arey daro maat, bhaago maat (don't be afraid! don't flee!)," he added.
The prime minister challenged the Congress to give in writing that it will not amend the Constitution to provide reservations based on religion.
“They (Congress and INDIA bloc) have to give a written statement that they will not take away the reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs and give those to their vote bank on the basis of religion,” Modi said.
He also came down heavily on the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, alleging that the party has made Hindus "second-class citizens" in the state.