NEW DELHI: Setting the ball rolling for forging Opposition unity for 2024 elections, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said he has initiated talks with presidents of various parties to strengthen unity among anti-BJP forces.
Speaking at a media event, the Congress chief said he has already spoken to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take forward the unity displayed by many Opposition parties during the Budget session of Parliament and it would be extended outside too. According to Kharge, ideological differences between some parties will not hamper unity.
The just concluded Budget session of Parliament has witnessed the coming together of 19 Opposition parties, including TMC, BRS, SP and AAP after the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha membership. Parties such as TMC, BRS, SP, and AAP have been at loggerheads with Congress over their electoral and ideological differences.
Besides the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi, the demand for a JPC on Adani- Hindenburg row also united the disparate parties.This paper has reported that at a dinner meeting called by Kharge last week, all the Opposition parties unanimously called upon the Congress party to take the lead in bringing parties together and chalk out the future course of action.
Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi had confirmed to this paper that top Congress leadership will initiate dialogues with presidents of all Opposition parties to take the unity forward.
Speaking to this paper, CPI MP Binoy Viswam said that the dialogue with all parties will continue. “It’s an ongoing process. We haven’t fixed any date for a meeting. 19 parties have come together for a common cause. From our party’s point of view, whenever opposition parties meet, we should have a broad understanding of common agenda,”.On Thursday, 19 parties also held a tiranga march in the capital and vowed that they will continue the unity outside Parliament.