HYDERABAD: A DAY after BJP national president Amit Shah termed the proposed Mahagatbandhan an eyewash, politicians from opposition parties stressed that such a coalition government was the need of the hour. “I want a coalition government in 2019. That is because majority governments elected in 2009 and 2014 failed to deliver on growth and equality. Also, they are prone to take arbitrary decisions (read demonetisation),” said Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, on Sunday. He was delivering a talk on the second day of the Indian School of Business (ISB) Leadership Summit.
“There are various scholars who say that a coalition government would ensure economic growth and be more inclusive compared to the present government,” he said, adding that regional parties would ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not return to power in 2019.
Ironically, only a day ago did Owaisi criticise the attempts made by Congress and Telugu Desam Party to forge an alliance and take on the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the ensuing Assembly polls. Congress member and former Andhra Pradesh Assembly speaker Nadendla Manohar echoed the same. “We are clear that we want a government that is not led by BJP. We are trying to accommodate as many regional parties as possible,” he said.
TDP MP from Srikakulam Konda Vishveshwar Reddy was wary of discussing the possibilities of a coalition government in detail. This is after his party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu gave a “silent nod’’ to an alliance with Congress for the upcoming polls.