[ad_1]
If you’re the Opposition, the query that’s in your thoughts is – how do you cease the Narendra Modi juggernaut? And it appears the reply lies in Mallikarjun Kharge.
Amid the drama of a file 141 Oppositions MPs being suspended from Parliament, the Indian Nationwide Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc met on Tuesday for his or her fourth assembly within the Capital the place Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee proposed that Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge must be made the PM face within the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
In keeping with leaders on the assembly, Banerjee was quoted as saying, “He could be India’s first Dalit prime minister.”
Associated Articles
I.N.D.I.A bloc assembly at Kharge’s residence in the present day, Rahul Gandhi and Rajiv Shukla amongst first ones to reach
INDIA meet: Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal suggest Mallikarjun Kharge as PM face, Cong chief says ‘lets win first’
Banerjee’s suggestion of Kharge because the prime ministerial candidate additionally obtained the endorsement from Aam Aadmi Celebration (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, who reportedly stated, “I did some analysis and might say with confidence that going into the elections with a Dalit face can be a giant benefit. We haven’t had a Dalit as PM and this may assist us, significantly in Karnataka.”
Nevertheless, the Congress chief poured chilly water on the plan, saying the choice on prime ministerial candidate can be taken after the election. “First we have now to win and get a majority, then MPs will determine democratically,” Kharge advised reporters when requested if he may very well be Opposition’s PM face.
VIDEO | “(West Bengal CM) Mamata Banerjee proposed that we (INDIA alliance) ought to challenge (Congress president) Mallikarjun Kharge as our PM candidate. Nevertheless, Kharge rejected her level, saying there isn’t a level in asserting a coordinator or our PM face. He stated that we must always… pic.twitter.com/T0BwKz8Gcv
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) December 19, 2023
Notably, Banerjee’s pitch for Kharge was a stunning flip of occasions on the fourth assembly of the Opposition bloc, with a number of members being caught unaware.
However at the same time as Kharge disposed of the notion of main the alliance towards Modi, many are asking: Can Kharge really be a competitor to the PM on the polls?
Who’s Mallikarjun Kharge?
Often known as a Gandhi household loyalist, 80-year-old Mallikarjun Kharge is an eight-time MLA, two-time Lok Sabha MP, and at present a Rajya Sabha member.
Kharge, a frontrunner from the Dalit neighborhood, has stayed away from controversies and maintained a clear picture all through his decades-old political profession.
Born on 21 July, 1942, in a poor household in Karnataka’s Gulbarga district, Kharge studied legislation and practised for a time earlier than becoming a member of the Congress in 1969, as per Indian Categorical.
Kharge ventured into electoral politics in 1972 and 4 years later, he grew to become a minister for the primary time within the Devaraj Urs authorities.
He gained from his dwelling constituency of Gulbarga 9 consecutive instances within the Karnataka Meeting elections between 1972 and 2008.
After that, he shifted to nationwide politics and was victorious in two successive Lok Sabha polls (2009 and 2014) from the Gulbarga seat.
In 1994, Kharge was appointed the Chief of the Opposition within the Karnataka Meeting, a task he assumed once more in 2008.
Kharge has served as a minister in six totally different governments in Karnataka however missed his probability on the chief minister publish thrice – in 1999, 2004 and 2013.
In 1999, he misplaced the Karnataka chief minister chair to SM Krishna and needed to accept the house portfolio.
Dharam Narayan Singh was made the chief minister in 2004. As per News18, Kharge’s supporters had beseeched him to specific his dissatisfaction with Sonia Gandhi and decline the ministerial berth. Nevertheless, the seasoned chief had rejected their requests, saying he by no means went towards the Gandhis and wouldn’t embarrass them.
In 2013, Congress got here again with a thumping majority in Karnataka and Siddaramaiah was sworn oath because the chief minister.
Working because the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee in 2005-08, Kharge had delivered Congress the most important variety of seats towards the then ruling alliance of BJP and JD(S), notes The Hindu.
He labored as Union minister within the Manmohan Singh authorities– first as Labour minister (Could 2009-June 2013) after which as minister of Railways (June 2013-Could 2014).
From 2014-19, he was the chief of the Congress within the Lok Sabha.
Kharge, generally known as ‘solillada saradara’ (a frontrunner with out defeat), suffered the primary loss in his electoral profession in 2019 when he was trounced by the BJP’s Umesh Jadhav within the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency by a margin of 95,452 votes.
Nevertheless, the Congress management introduced him again to the Parliament by the Rajya Sabha route and he was elected unopposed to the Higher Home in June 2020 from Karnataka.
In October final 12 months, Kharge noticed an increase in stature when he gained the Congress presidential elections, receiving 7,897 votes in contrast simply to 1,000 for Shashi Tharoor, whereas 416 votes had been deemed invalid. His win within the occasion polls made him the primary non-Gandhi occasion chief in 24 years.
Can Kharge pose as challenger to Modi?
For a lot of, Kharge’s spotless profession and widespread acceptability make him a viable contender towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Many ballot pundits notice that he’s extra acceptable than another chief within the alliance, with the doable exception of Sharad Pawar. From the viewpoint of non-Congress events, he’s additionally essentially the most acceptable face from inside the Congress.
Furthermore, he’s believed to be a extra affordable particular person to cope with.
However what makes him, maybe, the strongest contender is his Dalit id. A follower of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Kharge additionally shares good equations amongst Ambedkarite organisations. Moreover, many political leaders in addition to pundits consider his caste id can be the most important consider Kharge’s favour. In actual fact, if he does change into prime minister, he can be the primary Dalit to occupy the workplace in India’s historical past.
Kharge is also called the face of the South and Karnataka is seen by many as a swing state for the 2024 elections.
And identical to Modi, Kharge too is thought for being a relentless politician – working 24/7 and is approachable.
Nevertheless, regardless of these elements, it will likely be a troublesome process for Kharge to go up towards Modi. Probably one of many largest elements that go towards him is the truth that he doesn’t have resonance within the Hindi heartland. Regardless of being fluent in Hindi, Kharge will not be well-known within the area.
One other issue that would harm Kharge is his age. The Congress chief is 80-years-old and his age and lack of charisma (or because the younger name it, rizz) might hamper the INDIA bloc’s outreach to the youth and first-time voters. It will additionally strengthen the BJP’s cost the Congress will not be in tune with India’s youth.
And lastly, one main issue that goes towards Kharge is his occasion – the Congress. Many inside the alliance is probably not snug with the chief of the bloc coming from a celebration that’s going through electoral defeats one after the opposite.
Solely time will inform if Kharge is, the truth is, Modi’s contender within the 2024 polls. For now, the alliance itself wants to come back collectively, put apart its variations and chalk out a viable technique to current itself as an choice to voters.
With inputs from businesses
[ad_2]
Source link
