Kharge ought to play opposition's role instead of repeating PM Modi does not have mandate: Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi [India], June 15 (ANI): Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge ought to play the constructive role of an Opposition instead of repeating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have the mandate to rule the country.
"NDA has a clear majority. We have won 292 Lok Sabha seats. I advise Mallikarjun Kharge to play the role of opposition and give constructive advice to the government," Athawale told ANI.
Athawale said that when UPA was in power the BJP did not say the Congress did not have the mandate to rule even though the party did not have the majority on its own.
Athawale's reaction came after Mallikarjun Kharge told ANI on Friday that NDA government had been formed by mistake and PM Modi did not have the mandate.
"NDA government has been formed by mistake. Modi ji doesn't have the mandate. It's a minority government. This government can fall anytime," Kharge told ANI.
"We would like it to continue, let it be good for the country, we should work together to strengthen the country. But our Prime Minister is habitual of not letting something going on well to continue. But we will cooperate towards strengthening the country," he added.
Endorsing Kharge's statement, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari said that the NDA government has not been formed with the support of the people.
"This government has not been formed with the support of the people. Their (BJP) vote percentage and seats have come down. They are not the first choice of the public," Pramod Tiwari told ANI.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, BJP won 240 seats, falling 32 seats short of the halfway mark of 272 seats. However, the prepoll NDA alliance has 292 seats, propelling PM Modi into his third consecutive term in office. (ANI)