Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday that the opposition parties are ready to fight as “one” to “save the country and democracy and keep the Constitution safe.” He described the process of uniting the opposition as “just the beginning.”
“To save the country and democracy and keep the Constitution safe, for freedom of speech and expression, for employment of youth and issues like inflation & misuse of autonomous bodies, we are ready to fight as one. We will talk to everyone one by one. Pawar Sahab too says the same,” Kharge said.
Congress chief made the remarks while speaking to reporters after meeting with Rahul Gandhi and senior opposition leader and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar.
After the meeting, Kharge took to Twitter and said, “Stronger, together! We stand united for a better, brighter, and equal future for our people. Along with Shri @RahulGandhi ji met @NCPspeaks President, Shri @PawarSpeaks ji and had a discussion on the future course of action.”
On Thursday, the NCP chief flew to the national capital and met with senior Congress leaders at Kharge’s residence. The meeting came just days after Pawar appeared to sever opposition unity by opposing the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue, a tool Congress has used to attack the ruling BJP, by saying there is “no need” for such a probe.
However, speaking to the media after the meeting, Pawar stated that this is only the beginning (of a united opposition) and that efforts will be made to bring in other important opposition parties, including Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.
“Our thinking is exactly what Kharge ji told you. But mere thinking will not help. A process needs to be started…This is just the beginning. After this, talks will be held with other important opposition parties – be it Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, or others – to try to integrate them into this process…,” Pawar told the press persons.
In response to the senior leaders’ remarks, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that, like Kharge Ji and Pawar Ji, a process to unite the Opposition has begun.
“This is the beginning. All parties are committed to this process,” he said.
Sharad Pawar had earlier this month stated that there is “no need” for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the Adani issue because the Supreme Court-appointed committee will be more reliable and unbiased in its investigation into the claims made in the report against the Indian conglomerate.
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