Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday announced that if the INDIA bloc came to power, it would withdraw cases registered by central agencies against Opposition leaders.

“We will definitely withdraw the cases registered by the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, income tax, and Central Vigilance Commission because the cases have not been registered against the people as a result of lawful action, but have been imposed with an intent to trouble and harass them, or to disrupt the elections. We will do this after coming to power,” Kharge told reporters in Patna.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have spent the last 10 years harassing the Opposition leaders instead of indulging in development,” Kharge added.

The Congress chief, however, clarified that the alliance government would not withdraw the cases that had been properly registered by the central agencies under the spirit of the existing laws.

Asked about the prime ministerial candidate of the alliance, Kharge said that “leaders from all the member parties would sit together and decide about it after the ongoing Lok Sabha polls got over”.

Kharge interacted with journalists in Patna before addressing rallies at Samastipur and Muzaffarpur, which will go to the polls on May 13. The two constituencies are among the nine the party is contesting in Bihar.

However, Kharge avoided a clear reply on whether his party would provide reservation on the basis of religion.

Kharge asserted that it would be tough for Modi to form the government this time because the public was angry with the BJP because of prevailing unemployment and inflation.