Congress Party leaders Briefing by Jairam Ramesh and Supriya Shrinate at AICC HQ, in New Delhi on Monday. April 15, 2024.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

A strong and stable government comes from policies and programmes that address concerns of the people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had nothing to offer to farmers and the working class, the Congress said on April 15.

Addressing a press conference at All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, party general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh hit out at Mr. Modi, who had said on Sunday at the launch of the BJP’s manifesto that a “strong and stable government needs to be elected in an uncertain world”.

“Such words were used in the run up to the 2004 election but people saw through them. This election is to elect a strong and stable government, not for re-electing a demagogue. Strong and stable governments come from policies and programmes that address the concerns of the people,” Mr. Ramesh said.

“A Prime Minister who has nothing to say on farmers’ issues, nothing to say on unemployment, someone who refuses to talk about workers, social justice, and empowerment, is making a pitch for strong and capable government. The question is strong and capable for what?” asked Mr. Ramesh.

Asked to respond to how BJP’s manifesto talks about increasing investments, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Mr. Ramesh claimed that while private investment was 32% of the GDP during the Manmohan Singh government, it has come down 28% under the present regime.

The Congress leader also said that his party’s manifesto lays down the agenda for different sections and that has “rattled the Prime Minister who is using language that is unbecoming of a Prime Minister”.

“These are all signs of a desperate and a nervous Prime Minister… We [Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance] will get a clear, convincing and beyond-doubt majority,” Mr. Ramesh said.

The Congress communication chief asserted that he had just come back from an extensive election tour of the Northeast and there is a strong undercurrent for his party.

“So the most important issue in the Northeast is the preservation of religious diversity, linguistic diversity, food diversity… the freedom to eat, freedom to dress, freedom to profess one’s faith,” Mr. Ramesh said.

Talking about the battle in the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat in Assam, where party’s deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi is contesting, he said, “The Chief Minister [Himanta Biswa Sarma] and seven of his Ministers are sitting in Jorhat to ensure our candidate loses but his victory is certain. People have made up their mind that Gaurav Gogoi, who is the most powerful and most vocal voice of the Northeast in Parliament, should be given the opportunity to represent Jorhat”.