Kolkata: Congress presidential poll candidate Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday asserted that he would implement the Udaipur Declaration's proposal of allocating 50 per cent of party posts for those below 50 years of age, if he wins the election. Besides Kharge, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor is in the race for the post.
Speaking with reporters, following his meeting with West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee delegates here, Kharge said, "I will fully implement all that have been proposed in the Udaipur Declaration, adopted earlier in the year, if I get the opportunity. "Fifty per cent seats will be given to those below 50 years of age... to women, people belonging to SC, ST and OBC. And I will also ensure that nobody gets to hold a post for more than five years. This is my promise," he said.
The 80-year-old former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha criticised the BJP government at the Centre for disinvestment of public sector undertakings, claiming that such decisions were responsible for rising unemployment rate and weakening of rupee.
"We are against unemployment, inflation, price rise of essential commodities as well as of petrol, diesel. Our fight is against GST on milk, wheat, ghee. Our fight is against fall of rupee against US dollar. We are not here to fight against each other. What is important is that we have to fight Narendra Modi and Amit Shah," he said.
Contesting to save India's constitution
Kharge said that he is contesting the election for multiple reasons. According to him, his efforts are to save the principles and ideals of the Congress, to save the country's constitution and to establish democracy. Kharge said this while campaigning for the Congress president election in the city on Monday.
He alleged that the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah's BJP government has ended the country's democracy and sovereignty. "Therefore, "I'm not, 'we' will work together to save the country's constitution by being elected president," Kharge said. He thanked senior leaders for backing his candidature and reiterated that they wanted Rahul Gandhi to be re-elected as the AICC president.
"I had never thought of contesting the elections. Senior leaders and other members asked me to contest the elections, and hence I am doing it. This election is within the party. It will help us strengthen the party and fight the BJP better in 2024," he said. The Congress presidential election is scheduled to be held on October 17. The results will be announced two days later, on October 19.
