Lok Sabha polls: Kharge accuses PM Modi of ‘provoking’ people, calls on ED to take action

Congress president Malliakarjun Kharge on Saturday (May 18) lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of "provoking" people and called on the Election Commission to take stern action.

He also alleged that PM Modi was supporting the "illegal" Mahayuti government in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

"We have not used bulldozers to date... The Election Commission should take action against those who make instigating speeches. The Prime Minister himself is doing it. He is provoking people. After our government comes, everything will be protected as per our Constitution, we will follow the Constitution," Kharge said during a media briefing in Mumbai.

He then claimed that the INDI alliance will win 46 out of the 48 seats in the state of Maharashtra and will defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"INDIA bloc will win 46 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. People are saying this themselves. Our alliance will win maximum seats and defeat BJP...," Kharge claimed.

PM Modi hits out at Congress-SP combine

Kharge's remarks came after PM Modi, during his rally in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki, said that Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) would run bulldozer over Ayodhya's Ram Temple if they get elected in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

"If the Congress, SP and their INDIA partners come to power, our Ram Lalla would have to return to the tent again as they would run a bulldozer over the Ram Mandir. They should take lessons from Yogi-ji (Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) on where to run bulldozers and where not to," PM Modi said on Friday (May 17).

"The Congress and the Samajwadi Party have become slaves to appeasement politics. And, when Modi uncovers the truth before the people, they accuse me of creating a Hindu-Muslim divide," he further said.

The Indian prime minister then exuded confidence that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was all set to register its third consecutive win and return to power again.

"June 4 (counting day) is not too far away now. All doubts will be cleared and the entire country and the world will know when we score a hat-trick of wins and return for a third term at the Centre."

(With inputs from agencies)