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INLD ready to join hands with Congress: Abhay Chautala
INLD MLA Abhay Chautala on Saturday said the INLD has no inhibition in joining hands with the Congress, a stand Janta Dal (United) backed while calling upon the Congress the largest party of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to be large hearted.
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Abhay Singh Chautala on Saturday said the INLD has no inhibition in joining hands with the Congress, a stand Janta Dal (United) backed while calling upon the Congress the largest party of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to be large hearted.
Addressing a press conference here ahead of the INLD’s annual rally being held in Kaithal on September 25 to mark the birth anniversary of the party founder late Chaudhary Devi Lal, Abhay Chautala and JD (U) spokesperson KC Tyagi made it clear that not only INLD was ready to hug the Congress but also the INDIA bloc cannot treat any party opposed to the BJP as untouchable.
“Chaudhary Devi Lal started his political career from the Congress and we had good relations with the BJP once. When Congress was weakening the country, we supported the BJP...Now that the BJP is ruining the nation, we have no reservations and inhibitions in embracing the Congress,” said Abhay, the INLD’s lone MLA in Haryana from Ellenabad segment.
He said that he will personally meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on September 18 and extend invite for the Kaithal rally. He said he would also like to meet Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and invite AAP supremo for the rally.
“Finally, it is up to them if they want to attend the rally or not...We will welcome Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda also in case Congress high command deputes the former Haryana CM to attend the rally. I have no reservations in personally extending the rally invitation to Kejriwal,” he said.
Backing the INLD to the hilt, the former Lok Sabha MP and JD (U) spokesperson Tyagi said that the foundation of INDIA was laid on September 25, 2022, during the Fatehabad rally held to mark birth anniversary of late Chaudhary Devi Lal.
“When the fight is with the might of the BJP, no party can be treated as untouchable...If JD(U) could join hands in Bihar with its political opponents, why cannot Congress join hands with the INLD,” Tyagi said, adding that his party never considered INLD out of INDIA bloc.
Stating that INLD must be a part of the INDIA bloc in order to defeat the BJP, Tyagi said the INLD has its own credibility and history. He said in Delhi, Kejriwal was ready for an alliance with the Congress, while AAP had issues with the Congress in Punjab and Haryana.
“The Congress will have to show its large heart...join hands with AAP and INLD in Haryana and defeat BJP,” said Tyagi, repeatedly saying that the late Chaudhary Devi Lal’s political stature and legacy had played a crucial role in forming the INDIA bloc.
Hits out at Hooda over INDIA alliance comment
Amid a series of meetings by senior leaders of different parties under the banner of INDIA bloc to contest together in as many possible seats during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Hooda recently said that the Congress is “capable” of winning on its own on all the 10 seats in the state.
He had asserted that the Congress will fight all the seats in the next year’s general elections on its own and ruled out any alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
On this, Chautala told the reporters, “Who is he to decide on INDIA? Earlier, he used to say that he will be the chief minister from Congress and now he is changing statements…. Recently, Congress leader Kumari Selja has said that the high command will decide on the INDIA alliance.”
“By giving such statements, Hooda is trying to create confusion and helping the BJP,” he added.
