History of 2004 will repeat itself 20 years later: Jairam Ramesh on Lok Sabha polls

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday rejected the BJP’s claims that the 2024 poll results are a foregone conclusion, saying “tiger mein abhi bahut jaan hai” and the opposition bloc will repeat the history of 2004 when the saffron party was unseated from power despite its ‘shining India’ campaign. The Congress general secretary in-charge communications also said his party is going into the Lok Sabha polls with its “five nyays” and “25 guarantees”, and has full confidence that the opposition INDIA bloc will get a clear mandate.

In an interaction at the PTI office here, Ramesh also said the Congress’ guarantee is not of one person but of the party and its “ghoshna patra (manifesto)” will be called the “nyay patra” which will focus on Yuva Nyay, Nari Nyay, Shramik Nyay, Kisaan Nyay and Hissedari Nyay and the 25 guarantees under these.

Asked if the polls will be about “Modi ki Guarantee” versus the Congress’ “nyay” guarantees, he said, “Our guarantee is not of one person. We are giving the Congress guarantee and are giving these guarantees on the basis of our experience.”

“Under the five ‘nyays’ — Yuva Nyay, Nari Nyay, Shramik Nyay, Kisaan Nyay and Hissedari Nyay — that were the pillars of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, there are five guarantees each that have been announced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, that would be our strategy and the issues (in the polls),” he said.

Asked about his earlier ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ statement on whether the 2024 polls are a done deal, Ramesh quipped, “Tiger zinda hai, tiger zinda hi nahi hai balki tiger utsuk hai, tiger mein aur bhi bahut jaan hai.”

“So, those saying 2024 is a done deal, they are completely wrong. I will tell you what happened in 2003, the Congress lost in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, it was ‘India shining’ but the Congress formed the government at the Centre in 2004, so after 20 years, that will be repeated,” he said.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will be held between April 19 and June 1. The results will be announced June 4.

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