Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday called on voters in Maharashtra to reject leaders who, according to him, had taken large bribes to switch sides, referring to them as "50 khoke" (cash boxes). The term emerged after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's defection from the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, when he joined forces with the BJP to form a new government.
Speaking at a rally for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates in Vasai, near Mumbai, Kharge, while refraining from naming the MLAs who supported Shinde, alleged that each individual was offered Rs 50 crore to change their allegiance. He urged voters to send a strong message in the upcoming November 20 elections.
He criticised the BJP-led Mahayuti for indulging in divisive politics through its slogans "batenge toh katenge" (divided, we shall perish) and "ek hain toh safe hai" (we are safe if we are one).
Citing Maharashtra's rich legacy of iconic figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Jyotirao Phule, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Congress leader Kharge cautioned that certain factions are trying to divide society along caste and religious lines.
"The Congress and MVA stand for unity and the principles of Dr Ambedkar's Constitution, while the BJP seeks to create divisions," he asserted.