Will raise basic issues of the people for Maha polls: Cong

The Congress will raise 'basic' questions related to the people of Maharashtra during campaigning for the October 21 polls rather than harping on "emotional issues" like the BJP, senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and state unit chief Balasaheb Thorat said on Tuesday.

They were replying to questions on whether raising issues like unemployment, farmer suicides, economic slowdown would give dividends in the state poll when they had failed to strike a chord in the April-May Lok Sabha elections.

"Have these basic questions been solved? No. These are issues related to the common man. Unemployment is rising, so are farmer suicides," said Thorat.

"The BJP is fighting polls on emotional issues but people will not listen to them. The ruling party may be feeling good but not the public. We will double our seats from 42 to 84 while NCP seats will rise from 41 to 82," claimed Thorat.

Kharge said Rahul Gandhi's five rallies had got massive public response, adding that people were looking up to the Congress-NCP combine to solve their problems.