Congress leader Pawan Khera predicts landslide victories for his party’s alliances in Kerala and Assam, citing strong anti-incumbency against the ruling governments. He also commented on the party’s strategies in West Bengal and Kerala.
Congress Confident of Landslide Wins in Kerala, Assam
Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday expressed confidence in his party’s prospects in the upcoming Assembly elections, stating that the Congress and its allies are set to form governments in Kerala and Assam, citing strong anti-incumbency and public demand for change.
Speaking on the political situation, Khera said that ground reports from both states indicate a clear shift in voter sentiment. “The ground situation in both states shows that people are eager and ready for change. It’s clear that our alliance of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala is going to win with a landslide victory. Meanwhile, in Assam, the alliance we’ve formed, the anger within the BJP, the anti-incumbency sentiment not only against the BJP government but also against Himanta Biswa Sarma personally, both within the party and within the state, clearly indicates that the Congress Party and its alliance are going to form the government with a landslide victory,” he said.
Khera Accuses Kerala CM of Echoing BJP
Responding to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks on Rahul Gandhi, Khera accused the Left leadership of echoing the BJP’s language. “The Kerala Chief Minister has even borrowed the word ‘appeasement’ directly from the BJP’s vocabulary and is using it. So, you can understand who is whose B-team… The ideology of the Indian National Congress is inherently inclusive. Therefore, the accusation that we do politics for any one community or caste can never be levelled against us,” he said.
Assam Congress United, Alleges BJP Corruption
On the issue of resignations by some Congress leaders in Assam, Khera said that the party remains united and continues to fight the elections with full strength under state leadership. “Everyone is fighting together. Those who had to leave have left. Those who are here are working strongly with Gaurav Gogoi to carry out this election… Gaurav Gogoi is our captain of the ship, so it’s obvious that he is the biggest face,” he said.
He also alleged widespread dissatisfaction with the BJP government in Assam, pointing to issues like corruption and governance. “As I told you, there’s a lot of resentment among the people on the ground. Corruption is rampant, and there’s a rule of hooliganism, a corrupt government, a rule of smugglers. So, all these things are completely unacceptable to the people,” he added.
Party’s Strategy for Kerala and West Bengal
Kerala: Voters Aligning with Congress’s Vision
Speaking about the Kerala Assembly elections, Khera said the political landscape has shifted, and voters are aligning with Congress’s vision and promises. “This election is different… Now, change is necessary, and people are understanding the Congress’s vision, the guarantees it has given, and the promises it has made. We’re going to win there with a very overwhelming majority,” he said.
West Bengal: Contesting Independently to Strengthen Base
On the West Bengal Assembly elections, Khera said the party has decided to contest independently to strengthen its organisation and expand its vote share. “Our state unit there decided that we have our vote. We need to organise ourselves, strengthen our organisation, and fight alone to increase our vote. So, whatever the state unit decided, we supported them,” he said.
Highlighting the party’s strategy, he added that the focus remains on expanding its electoral base. “Congress has a vote bank, a vote share in every assembly. How do we increase that and make it decisive? This is a challenge, and our state unit has accepted that challenge. Now let’s see what happens in the elections. Only after the elections will we know how much our hard work paid off. But we will leave no stone unturned,” he said. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)