Congress has become fringe party, siding with tukde, tukde gang: Javadekar

Jaipur: Rubbishing opposition charge that democracy was under threat in BJP rule, Union minister Prakash Javadekar Friday said the Congress was making such remarks as it has shrunk to a "fringe party" from a mainstream party and has no chance in future elections.

"Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says if Modi comes, there will be no elections again. This is wrong. Modi won in 2014 and there are elections in 2019. Elections are taking place. Elections will happen in 2024, 2029 (and so on) but Congress has no chance in these elections," the BJP's poll in-charge for Rajasthan, told PTI here. "Congress was the mainstream party and now it has become a fringe party siding with the 'tukde-tudke gang'. Congress is giving certificate that this is freedom of expression. They give such kind of defence," he said.

CM Gehlot has said in his public rallies that democracy and the Constitution are under "threat" under Modi rule and elections may not happen if he comes to power again. The union HRD minister also exuded confidence that the BJP will, on its own, win more seats than in 2014 and the NDA will get two-thirds majority in polls. "After two phases of polls, the BJP is very certain of its landslide victory. We will improve our tally of 2014 and will cross 300 mark on our own and NDA will have two-thirds majority.

We are receiving people's support in all states across the country and the opposition is completely nervous, they are facing imminent defeat and therefore they are reacting the way they are," he said. He said opposition parties were complaining against EVM machines which shows their fear of defeat. "They know they are going to be defeated so from today only they are preparing ground and finding some excuses for their defeat. This is what Congress and opposition is all about. We are very confident that people are responding to Modi's leadership and they want Modi to be PM again," he said.

Accusing Congress leaders of hurling abuses and making casteist remarks, Javadekar demanded the Election Commission take notice of such comments. "In Rajasthan also, CM Ashok Gehlot is making casteist remarks against the President of the county. The Election Commission must take notice of it because never in the history, the president of India has been brought in the election discussion. It was Congress which brought him and specifying his caste is not only unethical but illegal also," he said.

When asked whether the BJP will file a complaint, the minister said the party's state unit has forwarded all relevant clippings to the party's legal cell in New Delhi. Javadekar said the BJP (and its alliance party RLP which is contesting on one seat of Nagaur) will win all the seats in the state.

Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP is contesting on 24 seats and has given one seat to RLP headed by MLA Hanuman Beniwal, who himself is contesting as RLP candidate on Nagaur seat.