Farmers can’t even get a cup of tea with PM’s yojana, says Mallikarjun Kharge

Kalaburagi: Veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday turned the tables on Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has termed the “Nyoontama Aay Yojana” ( NYAY) announced by AICC president Rahul Gandhi as a “pre-poll bluff”.

“On the contrary, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Scheme announced by Mr Jaitley offers so little that a farmer cannot get even a cup of tea a day,” Mr Kharge retorted.

Addressing a Congress workers’ rally at Chincholi on Friday, he said that BJP leaders had made fun when MNREGA, Food for Security Act, RTE Act etc were passed by the UPA Government. “But we have successfully implemented them. Our party will also implement NYAY” he said.

He hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for repeatedly questioning the contributions of the Congress for the development of the country in the last 70 years. Questioning Mr Modi’s achievements in the last five years, Mr Kharge remarked that the Prime Minister has failed miserably. “Their promise of bringing black money from foreign countries and depositing `15 lakh in every citizen’s account is a big hoax. While miserably failing to create 10 crore jobs in five years, he has removed 2.75 crore existing jobs,” he said.

Rathod joins

BJP leader Subhash Rathod, who was one of the aspirants for the party ticket from the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency and who quit the party two days ago, joined Congress in the presence of Mr Kharge and KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre at a function.

Mr Rathod flayed the BJP for betraying him. “In BJP, all promotions are made based on the confidential report. Those who work hard and sincerely for the party and nation don’t figure in the confidential report and are not promoted. Those who instigate communal violence, spread hatred among communities in the name of patriotism, disseminate anti-Muslim sentiments in society and undermine the Indian Constitution get favourable recommendations. Fed up with it, I quit that party,” he said and appealed to Congress leaders and workers to treat him as their own.

Attacking Umesh Jadhav, who joined the BJP from Congress recently, Mr Rathod said he has misused the Lambani community for his own development.