Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said a seven phase election for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls meant that "Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to tour everywhere".
Kharge opined that the polls should have rather been completed in three or four phases.
“We are not anxious about what is going to happen, but Modiji putting seven phases, it means that he wants to tour everywhere. In this country, I have also contested nearly 12 elections and there hardly used to be four phases. Sometimes it used to be even one phase. I have seen two phases also but maximum it used to be four,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.
Kharge said conducting polls in seven phases meant that nearly all the development works will be stopped.
“…Stopping nearly 70-80 days, imagine how the country will progress? Because of the election code of conduct...materials will not be supplied. Budget will not be spent. So according to me this is not good. He could have completed within three or four phases," he said.
“So, it is easy for people also to get their businesses completed, infrastructure everything. It should have helped but anyways Modi is Modi,” he added.
In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress has expressed dismay over the Election Commission's decision to hold the elections in seven phases in the state, citing concerns over unfair advantage to wealthier parties.
Senior TMC leader and West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya expressed concern that having multiple phases in elections gives an unfair advantage to parties with more money.
"During eight-phase assembly polls in 2021, it was said it is being done due to COVID. So now, what is the valid reason for holding elections in seven phases? There is no valid reason," she said.
BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya supported the move for a staggered election and said it is due to the history of the elections and post-poll violence that prompted the EC to such a decision.
"It is the TMC that has brought the situation to such a level, where elections are held in Bengal in seven phases. It is due to the politics of violence that the condition has come to such a level," he said.
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, too echoed the BJP, and said, "Multiple phase elections would ensure it is held in a free and fair manner and won't allow the TMC to perpetrate violence during polls."
The West Bengal CPI(M) said the Election Commission must ensure that people can cast their votes without fear.
Although the opposition INDIA bloc faltered in Bengal as Banerjee decided to go alone, the state Congress remains interested in collaborating with the CPI(M)-led Left Front, with whom it formed alliances during the 2021 state polls, although an official announcement is pending.
The 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning from April 19 with the counting of votes scheduled on June 4 for the world's biggest election exercise, according to the announcement by the Election Commission.
