Feeling optimistic about the outcome of the ongoing Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said we are expecting to win the majority seats in this election.

“The first phase of elections went well. We are hopeful that the NC and Congress will get maximum seats. In the upcoming phases too, the NC and Congress alliance will gain good seats and form a government that works for all sections of the people. We expect a majority in this election", Kharge told media persons during a press conference in Jammu.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also claimed that reservation would continue until there is untouchability and a lack of social justice for various sections of the society in the country.

“Reservation cannot be scrapped until there is casteism in the Hindu religion. Until there is untouchability and lack of social justice, reservation will continue. It will continue till my death. I will tell my children to fight for it,” Kharge told a press conference here.

Responding to a question about Gandhi’s remarks on the reservation, Kharge clarified, “He has not said so. He will not even say so. We will not even allow him to say (anything like this)”.

The Congress president emphasized that his party fully supports reservation.

“It will not go. We will fight for it,” he said.

Replying to another straight question whether it was a surrender for the Congress to give maximum seats to the National Conference (NC), Kharge said, “No, it was neither a surrender nor a compulsion for the Congress. The alliance is nationwide. It can be seen in Parliament too.”

The Congress president further said that the alliance has been formed to unroot and remove the BJP from politics, to work together and jointly keep the RSS away from its influence and safeguard the state.

“We are working on this mission,” he added.

Replying to another question about the BJP’s allegation that the alliance is pursuing a Pakistani agenda, as the NC claims it will implement Article 370 once in power with the Congress, Kharge dismissed these allegations as false and a diversionary tactic.

“What Modi ji and Amit Shah are saying about the Congress having a Pakistani agenda is false. We have not gone to eat biryani. We did not hug him. They hugged him and now blame us,” he said.

The Congress president said Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about patriotism, but the suitable phrase here is ‘love with us and marriage with Pakistan’. 

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also claimed that his party would launch an agitation against threats to Rahul Gandhi.

“We will not tolerate this, we will launch an agitation against this,” Kharge said.

He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s failure to take action against BJP leaders who used derogatory remarks against Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.

“BJP, RSS leaders, including MLAs and MPs, talk about chopping off the tongues of our leaders. Rahul Gandhi is under attack for speaking the truth and an atmosphere of hate is created against him like (it was done against his grandmother) Indira Gandhi,” Kharge said at a press conference in Jammu.

He said the Congress would tell the people about the RSS-BJP’s poisonous mindset. “It is imperative to remove them and save Jammu and Kashmir. It is our biggest priority.”

Kharge also accused the BJP of spreading lies, especially during elections.

“All their promises have turned into 'jumlas' while we are firm in our decision to implement all our promises,” the Congress president said.

Highlighting the party’s poll promises to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said the Congress would continue its efforts for the restoration of statehood, providing good healthcare facilities, rightful reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in accordance with the package announced by the Manmohan Singh-led government.

He also questioned the BJP’s promise to provide five lakh jobs to unemployed youngsters in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP failed to provide employment during its 10-year rule and it is now trying to mislead people with false promises, Kharge alleged.

“The unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir is 35 percent. You had enough time during the past 10 years and have given so many powers to the lieutenant governor. If you had tried, it would have been done in just a month,” he said, assuring youngsters that the Congress would provide one lakh jobs when its alliance government with the National Conference assumed power.