NEW DELHI: Calling for greater unity against the BJP, the Opposition INDIA bloc members on Monday unanimously decided to demand Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s immediate resignation over the NEET-CBSE paper leak row and write to the Chief Justice of India on alleged anomalies in the SIR exercise and allegations of ‘vote theft’.
Leaders of 22 Opposition parties and Independent MP Kapil Sibal were part of the deliberations that lasted for more than 150 minutes at the Constitution Club in New Delhi.
The DMK, a key INDIA bloc constituent, was conspicuous by its absence, while the AAP had distanced itself from the grouping.
The deliberations began with a call to forge unity and rework the Opposition strategy to take on the BJP, while ironing out the differences within after the drubbing of the Trinamool Congress and DMK in the recent Assembly polls in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, “A letter will be sent to the CJI soon on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, ‘vote loot’, and ‘stealing of elections’.” It was also agreed to demand the immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan,” he said.
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi stressed unity and said one must bring everyone together with love and affection. Akhilesh Yadav, who spoke about “vote chori” and said the Bengal polls were “robbed”, appealed to the Congress to show a big heart and back strong regional parties.
The meeting was attended by Shiv Sena-UBT’s Uddhav Thackeray, and JMM’s Hemant Soren joined virtually. Others include Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav from SP, Tejashwi Yadav from RJD, Omar Abdullah from NC, and Mehbooba Mufti from PDP, along with Left leaders.