Pandemic lockdown was delayed to bring down Cong govt in MP in 2020: Jairam Ramesh

Bhopal, Nov 5 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday claimed the decision to enforce lockdown in view of COVID-19 was delayed so that the Kamal Nath government could be brought down in Madhya Pradesh.

The Nath government fell in March 2020 after a rebellion by several MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia. It paved the way for the return of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The lockdown was enforced across the nation by the Union government in the later part of March.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown was not implemented at the right time and a 10-day period was given to ensure our government in MP falls. This was a conspiracy. There is no dearth of traitors," Ramesh alleged.

People are fed up of BJP rule in MP, where Assembly polls will held on November 17, and they will bring the Congress back to power, he said at a press conference here.

The Congress had given six "guarantees" (poll promises) in Karnataka and has fulfilled them, while it has given 12 guarantees in Madhya Pradesh for the upcoming elections.

These guarantees include LPG cylinder in Rs 500, Rs 1500 per month to women, farm loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh, old pension scheme for government employees, minimum support price (MSP) to farmers, allowance to unemployed youth, scholarships to school students etc, he informed.

The guarantees announced by the Congress in Karnataka were dubbed as "revdi" (freebies) by the BJP but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is adopting them now, he claimed.

Asked about differences in the opposition's INDIA bloc, Ramesh said the alliance is for the Lok Sabha polls, adding that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has announced about its strengthening ahead of next year's general elections.

INDIA bloc, which comprises more than 25 parties apart from the Congress, is a democratic alliance and its constituents speak in different tones but will reach a consensus, he claimed.

Claiming that the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra had brought about a revolutionary change in Indian politics, Ramesh said it led to Congress' victory in Karnataka and will ensure similar results in Assembly polls in five states.

Queried about Union Minister Anurag Thakur's allegations that the Congress in Himachal Pradesh had failed to implement its poll promises, Ramesh said the party's government there tackled severe floods for several months.

But BJP president JP Nadda and Thakur, both of whom hail from HP, did not think it appropriate to get the floods declared as a 'national disaster' despite a request by the CM to the Centre, Ramesh said.

Asked about allegations against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in the Mahadev app probe by central agencies, Ramesh hit back by asking about the Mahakal Lok Corridor (in Ujjain), which Congress claims has been riddled with corruption resulting in poor construction.

"We are not only fighting against BJP, especially in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, but also with its two horses – ED and CBI. These are weapons of Prime Minister Modi," he claimed.

Ramesh claimed Baghel had sought a ban on Mahadev betting app three months ago as well as arrest of the people behind it, but no action was taken (by the Centre). PTI