Lucknow, May 15 (INAS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday announced that if the INDIA bloc is voted to power it will increase the ration quota for the poor from 5 kilograms to 10 kilograms.

“It was the Congress that brought in the Food Security Act and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now taking the credit for it. INDIA bloc government will double the amount of free ration for the poor,” he said while addressing a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav here on Wednesday.

He further said that the INDIA bloc would implement the Panch Nyay and guarantees mentioned in the manifesto and the state would be free to add on anything they want for their areas.

The Congress President said that while the INDIA bloc is with the poor and weaker sections of society, the BJP-led NDA is with the rich.

He said that the ongoing elections are important because it is a fight between ideologies and to save the future of the country and the constitution.

He further alleged that opposition leaders are being stopped from filing nomination papers and election agents are being threatened.

“For an election to be free and fair, a level playing field must be ensured,” he added.

Addressing the media, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said that the BJP is getting embroiled in its negativity.

“They are not asking for votes on the work they have done in the last ten years. It is a new language that they are using. People want change and farmers have not forgotten the atrocities,” he said.

Replying to a question, he said that it was the BJP that is communalising the campaign by talking about mutton, machhli, and mangalsutra.

He appealed to the people of Bahujan Samaj not to waste their vote and support the INDIA bloc candidates.