With the Election Commission announcing the schedule for assembly polls in five states, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said the party will go to the people with strength and outlined public welfare, social justice and progressive development as its guarantees.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party's prospects are "positive" in these five states, where it will win.

"With the announcement of elections in 5 states, the farewell of BJP and its allies has also been announced. In Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram, the Congress party will go to the people with strength," Kharge said on X soon after the announcement was made by the EC.

"Public welfare, social justice and progressive development are the guarantees of the Congress Party," he added.

Gandhi said the Congress is going to win in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana and the atmosphere in these states and Mizoram is very "positive" for the party. The former Congress chief also said he is going to visit Mizoram soon.

"I feel the atmosphere is good for the Congress in these states...I feel we will do good in these elections and there is a positive atmosphere in our favour," he told reporters here.

"Our all the four governments are doing very good work. Gehlot ji has built a historic healthcare system in Rajasthan. The social protection schemes of Karnataka are unmatched. In Chhattisgarh, farmers get the maximum MSP for paddy," he said.

Gandhi also said that when Himachal Pradesh was devastated by the natural calamity, Chief Minister (Sukhvinder) Sukhu’s response on the ground was unprecedented as he was among the people all the time which was unparalleled.

"I feel there is anger among people because of unemployment, inflation and rising inequality. People like Adani ji are becoming more and more rich, all national assets are being handed over to him while the farmers, labourers are getting poorer. So, caste census will be our foundation. We are planning to implement the good schemes of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka at the national level," he said.

"Our thinking is that Modi ji and the BJP have given a vision of hatred, violence and fear; we should give a vision of love, respect and participation. I feel that the mood of the nation has changed. The BJP people are not realising it now, but they will understand gradually that the country has not liked what they have done to it - spreading hatred, attacking institutions, and intimidating people," Gandhi said. Five states of Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana will go to polls on different days from November 7-30 and votes will be counted on December 3, the Election Commission said on Monday, setting the stage for what is being seen as the semi-final between the BJP and opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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