Congress: Will cooperate with like-minded parties for 2019 polls

NEW DELHI: Underscoring what is becoming the war cry of the opposition camp, Congress on Saturday said it will cooperate with like-minded parties to defeat the Modi government in the next Lok Sabha elections even as it demanded a return to the use of ballot paper instead of electronic voting machines.

Indicating its willingness to work with non-NDA parties and even some which it has confronted as political rivals in the past, Congress said it will adopt a “pragmatic approach” to coalition-building.

This reflects the view of the party leadership that the biggest possible tent be raised to counter BJP’s current political dominance.

The party’s accommodative line has been influenced by BJP’s setbacks in recent Lok Sabha byelections as well as its limitations as came to the fore in the UP parliamentary bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur. Congress’s success in wresting two Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan has encouraged the party to think that it might have a chance in the BJP-ruled state that is due to go to polls later this year.

The intent to form an alliance of like-minded parties for 2019, on the lines of UPA, was explained by party leader Sonia Gandhi who ushered Congress into the coalition age in 2004. The leader has also been speaking informally with opposition leaders, sounding out the possibility of a coalition with BJP emerging as the main rival in states like Odisha while breaking new ground in the north-east.

Interestingly, Congress’s political resolution demanded that EVMs be junked, making it clear that recent opposition wins have not convinced the party that the machines cannot be manipulated to deny it victory. The document said there are doubts among political parties about the voting machines. The demand is also seen as an olive branch to allies which have revolted against the machines.

Addressing the AICC conclave, Sonia referred to the Panchmarhi brainstorming session to say that Congress reached a consensus in 1998 that it should not ally with other political parties.

“But after five years, with changed political circumstances, we decided at the Shimla session of 2003 that we should work with likeminded parties. Because of this, we in 2004 accomplished atarget that people saw as impossible.

Congress formed the Central government under the leadership of Manmohan Singh,” she said, adding that it was because of the achievements of the 2004 government that Congress received a bigger mandate in 2009.

Anti-BJP coalition for 2019 polls has become the leitmotif of opposition talk in recent weeks. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul have issued appeals to potential allies on four different occasions. Sonia also hosted a dinner for opposition parties on Tuesday.

Alongside, other parties like Trinamool Congress and NCP of Sharad Pawar have also launched parallel consultations with regional parties.