Addressing the massive Insaaf Rally in Sangrur, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge sounded the poll bugle on November 4, urging leaders and grassroots workers across Punjab to maintain absolute unity. Speaking in the presence of former party president Rahul Gandhi and top state leadership, Kharge maintained that securing a decisive victory in the Punjab assembly elections would serve as the turning point for the party across the entire country. He stressed that the momentum for national change must originate from Punjab, demanding collective effort from all organizational ranks.
Frontal Attack on AAP and Allegations of Collusion with BJP
Kharge unleashed a fierce political assault against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, characterizing Arvind Kejriwal's political outfit as the B team of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He asserted that AAP systematically enters electoral contests in states like Gujarat and Goa with the primary objective of fragmenting opposition votes to harm Congress prospects. According to Kharge, the party assumed power in Punjab by dangling promises of good governance and progressive development, yet it has failed to deliver on every single front.
Turning his focus toward the administration led by Bhagwant Mann, Kharge alleged that governance in Punjab has degenerated into a regime marked by corruption and substance abuse. He specifically accused Arvind Kejriwal and his associates of running an extortion racket within the state. Kharge claimed that the very leadership responsible for ruining civic and administrative standards in Delhi is now replicating the same damaging playbook across Punjab.
Projecting National Rebound Through State Victory
The Congress chief laid down an ambitious electoral premise, declaring that a triumph in Punjab would set off a political chain reaction throughout the country. Quoting his firm belief, Kharge stated, “If we win Punjab, we will win the whole of India, that is my claim.” He underlined that this electoral roadmap requires internal cohesion, noting that personal ambitions must yield to collective teamwork if the party hopes to unseat the current administration.
Referencing the large public gathering held on November 1 at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, Kharge criticized central and state governance models built on what he termed stolen mandates. He argued that the political ecosystem led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is actively working to dismantle constitutional and democratic institutions that safeguard citizens' rights across the republic.
Broken Agricultural Promises and Democratic Legacy
Focusing on the agrarian community, Kharge recalled that Narendra Modi had pledged to guarantee Minimum Support Price to farmers and double their household earnings. He pointed out that these commitments remain entirely unfulfilled, leaving the farming community in distress. He added that rather than standing up for cultivators, AAP acts in concert with the ruling dispensation at the Centre to compound their challenges.
Tracing the evolution of franchise rights in India, Kharge reminded the audience that universal voting rights were guaranteed to the public through the foundational efforts of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Babasaheb Ambedkar. He noted that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi later strengthened youth participation by amending the Constitution to lower the voting age to 18 years. Kharge contrasted this constitutional legacy with current administrative trends, cautioning that hard-won democratic rights are facing systematic pressure.
Commitment to Manmohan Singh’s Vision
Kharge assured the gathering that a future Congress administration would steer Punjab using the economic and developmental framework laid down by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He highlighted the selfless leadership of Sonia Gandhi, who stepped aside from the prime minister's office to entrust the stewardship of the nation to Manmohan Singh.
Party General Secretary and Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot also addressed the rally, observing that citizens across the state are eagerly looking forward to the elections to return Congress to governance. Pilot asserted that the overwhelming turnout at Sangrur delivers a decisive signal across Punjab, expressing confidence that the party is poised to form the next government in the state.
