New Delhi (Agency): Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the general secretary of the Congress party, stated on Friday that she senses a great wave of change in the poll-bound state of Madhya Pradesh. She also criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on several issues, including the rising cost of living.
Priyanka Gandhi reiterated the Congress party’s five promises to the people of Madhya Pradesh if they are elected to power. This was her second trip to the state within a span of 40 days.
She spoke at a ‘Jan Aakrosh’ rally in Gwalior, the stronghold of Union minister and former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. Here, she also paid her respects at the memorial of the famous freedom fighter Rani Laxmibai. During her speech, she criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Manipur is in turmoil, and it took the PM 77 days to comment on it, following a video that showed severe mistreatment of women,” she said. She accused the Prime Minister of politicizing the issue and pointing fingers at states governed by opposition parties.
The Congress leader voiced her disappointment over the decline in political decency, stating that allegations and counter-allegations have become the norm. Consequently, real issues and concerns are often neglected, she said.
According to Priyanka Gandhi, two businessmen are reaping profits from deals in the country. “One of them was making Rs 1,600 crore a day, while a farmer struggles to make Rs 27 for their livelihood,” she pointed out.
She also criticized the government for the rising prices, particularly of tomatoes.
The Congress leader reaffirmed the party’s five guarantees for Madhya Pradesh – reinstating the Old Pension Scheme, providing a cooking gas cylinder for Rs 500 each, giving 100 units of free electricity, extending Rs 1500 financial aid per month to women, and resuming loan waivers for farmers – if the party is elected to power in the state.
On June 12, Priyanka Gandhi initiated the Congress party’s campaign in Madhya Pradesh by addressing a rally in Jabalpur. There, she had outlined the same five schemes and criticized the government under Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for corruption and failing to provide jobs.
The Congress party had formed the government in Madhya Pradesh following the 2018 state elections. However, MLAs loyal to Scindia left the Congress and joined the BJP in March 2020. This led to the downfall of the Kamal Nath-led government within 15 months, allowing Chouhan to return to power.