Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of failing to “stand up for India” and its people amid rising LPG and fuel prices.
Speaking at an election rally in Kollam ahead of the Assembly polls, Gandhi said, “LPG and fuel prices are all rising; trade is going to become more difficult under the circumstances. In the middle of all this, what is the policy of our central government under Narendra Modi? He is not fighting for his people. He is not standing up for India. All he is doing is bowing down to America and Israel.”
Her remarks come in the backdrop of a recent hike in LPG cylinder prices, which came into effect from April 1, increasing the cost of commercial and smaller cylinders across major cities.
‘People paying the price’, says Gandhi
Targeting the Centre further, Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister’s policies were hurting ordinary citizens. “Modi is himself compromised; that is why he bows down to Trump. Who is paying for all this? You are paying,” she said, referring to former US President Donald Trump.
She added, “You are paying to struggle against price rise. You work hard to educate your children, but they cannot get jobs because job creation has not happened in the last 10 years.”
Calling the current political approach “selfish and serving politics,” Gandhi urged voters to look for an alternative. “You need a new kind of politics and governance,” she said, appealing to people to reject both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Kerala elections see triangular contest
The Kollam constituency is witnessing a triangular contest between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), the ruling LDF, and the NDA. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has fielded sitting MLA M Mukesh, while Congress has nominated Bindu Krishna. Prathap Kumar is contesting as the NDA candidate.
Polling for the Kerala Assembly elections is scheduled for April 9, with counting of votes set for May 4.
Questions on jobs, education, and cost of living
Later, addressing a gathering in Thiruvananthapuram, Gandhi asked voters to reflect on their lives over the past decade.
“Has the quality of life improved? Have your children got good job opportunities? If a young person wants to start a business, do they get support from the government?” she asked.
She also raised concerns over rising household expenses and claimed that both the Centre and the state government had failed to address key public issues.
“It is your right to educate your children, your right to get jobs, and a right for anganwadi and ASHA workers to get better wages,” she said.
Congress promises ‘five guarantees’
Highlighting the Congress-led UDF’s promises, Gandhi spoke about the party’s “five guarantees” aimed at providing relief to people in Kerala.
“These guarantees are part of a larger vision to build Kerala into a much better place,” she said.
Among the key promises, she announced free bus travel for women, ₹3,000 pension for elderly and vulnerable groups, and interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh for young entrepreneurs.
She also promised health insurance coverage of up to ₹25 lakh for every household.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan unveiled the UDF’s election manifesto along with other alliance leaders.
