Poll promises: BJP wants Kharge, Rahul's apology over remarks

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) The BJP Friday demanded Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge's apology following the Congress president's advise that his party's state units should make only those promises that are fiscally doable, a statement seen by many as an acknowledgment of financial constraints that some of its guarantees face in states.

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asked mockingly if Kharge has given his first "gyan" to Gandhi, noting the former Congress president often boasts of "khata khat" (immediate) transfer of money to different population segments during state and national elections in the case of his party coming to power.

Kharge has realised that the Congress should not make reckless announcements, the former law minister told reporters, claiming that the party-run governments in states like Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh are faced with financial hardships in fulfilling the guarantees offered to people.

In Himachal Pradesh, Congress ministers were asked to not take salary and even a toilet tax was introduced, which was withdrawn after protests, he added.

In Karnataka, the state government is reviewing its promise for free bus rides to women, Prasad added.

Hitting out at the Congress, he said it is the party's history of fooling voters by making them false promises, and recalled the "garibi hatao" slogan given by Indira Gandhi during the 1971 polls.

Unlike the Congress, he claimed, the BJP makes only those promises which are guided by "fiscal prudence". The party had promised to transfer Rs 6,000 annually to 11 crore farmers, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been fulfilling it with a click of button.

Whether it is giving free grains to 80 crore people or welfare measures for women in different states, the BJP has been fulfilling them, Prasad added.

It has led to a reduction in poverty, he said.

"I greet Kharge sahab for realising this wisdom at this age. This should have dawned on him earlier. Please give the first lesson of your confession to Rahul Gandhi," the BJP leader said.

Kharge should apologise to the country and so should Gandhi, he said. The senior BJP leader also took a swipe at AAP leader and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as well, saying he also makes all kinds of announcements. PTI