Congress, CPI call Mayawati’s statement to join hands against BJP, a welcome sign
NEW DELHI: Congress leaders hailed BSP leader Mayawati’s public statement about her party’s readiness to contribute to the ongoing efforts of opposition parties to join hands against BJP, especially after the saffron surge in the recent polls. Mayawati’s remarks “mark a very positive development in strengthening efforts for a larger opposition unity against BJPâ€, said a Congress leader, who did not wish to be identified.
Earlier on Friday, the BSP chief said in Lucknow, “The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of anti-BJP parties in its fight against EVM (electronic voting machine) tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first... we have to keep democracy alive.â€
Although Mayawati had been sending her party colleague Satish Mishra to coordination meetings of opposition parties during the Parliament session, her public statement ignited fresh hope among Congress leaders of forging a united anti-BJP front.
Congress’ chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told ET, “Many opposition parties have started coming together, both in Parliament and outside, to jointly take up various issues affecting the country, democracy and the people, especially the poor sections, under the BJP rule, and I am sure such cooperation and coordination on common issues will get further strengthened in future.â€
While Congress had been keen on bringing together BSP and SP during the UP polls, the traditional rivalry between the two parties blocked that effort. However, the Congress camp feels that if a huge BJP victory in Bihar during last Lok Sabha polls can force then arch rivals Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar to join hands, the resurgent BJP could similarly prompt larger alignments in opposition camps. Many regional rivals including BSP and SP, and Trinamool Congress, Left parties and Congress, were together when more than 13 parties recently went to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and EC to petition against the Modi regime on EVM issue.
CPI’s D Raja said, “We welcome Mayawati’s statement as there is a need for strengthening unity of all secular, democratic and Left parties in fighting the BJP’s decisive agenda.â€
Earlier on Friday, the BSP chief said in Lucknow, “The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of anti-BJP parties in its fight against EVM (electronic voting machine) tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first... we have to keep democracy alive.â€
Although Mayawati had been sending her party colleague Satish Mishra to coordination meetings of opposition parties during the Parliament session, her public statement ignited fresh hope among Congress leaders of forging a united anti-BJP front.
Congress’ chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told ET, “Many opposition parties have started coming together, both in Parliament and outside, to jointly take up various issues affecting the country, democracy and the people, especially the poor sections, under the BJP rule, and I am sure such cooperation and coordination on common issues will get further strengthened in future.â€
While Congress had been keen on bringing together BSP and SP during the UP polls, the traditional rivalry between the two parties blocked that effort. However, the Congress camp feels that if a huge BJP victory in Bihar during last Lok Sabha polls can force then arch rivals Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar to join hands, the resurgent BJP could similarly prompt larger alignments in opposition camps. Many regional rivals including BSP and SP, and Trinamool Congress, Left parties and Congress, were together when more than 13 parties recently went to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and EC to petition against the Modi regime on EVM issue.
CPI’s D Raja said, “We welcome Mayawati’s statement as there is a need for strengthening unity of all secular, democratic and Left parties in fighting the BJP’s decisive agenda.â€
