UPA I, II completed 2 terms under one PM, Manmohan Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge replies to Modi's remark

Chandigarh, May 21

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “five PMs in five years” remark, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said similar things were said even in 2004 but the UPA government completed two full terms under one PM, Manmohan Singh.

Addressing an election rally at Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh on May16, Modi had said the INDIA bloc wanted to make five prime ministers in five years and claimed that it would disintegrate after June 4.

Kharge responded by rejecting Modi’s claims.

“In UPA I and UPA II, we were supported by other parties and we completed full term,” Kharge told reporters here.

For 10 years, there was one prime minister, a person who came from the land of Punjab, ran the country and changed its economy, he said about former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Taking a dig at the BJP, he said, “Whereas they did nothing for 10 years.”

Accompanied by former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kharge arrived here after addressing an election rally in Jagadhri in Haryana.

On being asked that the ruling party leaders often ask who the opposition “PM face” is, Kharge said, after the polls, the INDIA bloc partners would sit and decide this (if opposition wins the election).

He said the BJP has been saying that the Congress or the INDIA bloc does not have a face like Modi. They used to say the same thing in 2004 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, the Congress president said.

“After the polls, alliance partners will sit and decide. Like we ran the UPA government, in a similar manner we will do this,” he said.

Replying to a question, Kharge claimed that the INDIA bloc had gained good ground in the ongoing Lok Sabha election.

“Everywhere we are gaining and they are losing. Our alliance will definitely stop the Modi government from coming to power,” he said, and added, “The people are fighting against Modi and we are supporting them.”

Voting for sixth and seventh phases of elections will be held on May 25 and June 1, respectively.