Rahul Gandhi can bring opposition parties together: Sharad Pawar

NCP president Sharad Pawar said that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has proved that he is ready to work hard. “The people’s attitude towards Gandhi has changed. He will help in bringing a consensus among the opposition parties in the coming future,” the NCP leader added.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi could bring the opposition parties together at national level.

The statement assumes significance considering the opposition parties’ attempts for forging a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led centre. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Pawar added that Gandhi has proved that he is ready to work hard. “The people’s attitude towards Gandhi has changed. He will help in bringing a consensus among the opposition parties in the coming future,” the NCP leader said.

The statement assumes significance considering the opposition parties’ attempts for forging a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led centre.

On Sunday, during an interaction in Kolhapur, Pawar said that the ruling party was mocking Gandhi which continued till the beginning of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. “It (Bharat Jodo Yatra) has become an answer to the BJP that was involved in maligning his image. The attitude of the people towards him has changed. He also made it clear that he is ready to work hard because walking from Kanyakumari to Kashmir is not an easy task, but he is doing it,” Pawar said, adding, “In my view, this will help in bringing consensus among the opposition parties.”

The NCP chief has been the most vocal proponent of a united opposition and can be seen making attempts for the same.

The veteran leader also said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra is not limited to the Congress as people from many other political parties, organisations as well as those who follow the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi are participating in it. “It is also receiving cooperation and sympathy from the common people as they too are joining the yatra in big numbers,” he added.

Welcoming the NCP chief’s remarks, senior Congress leader and chief whip Balasaheb Thorat said that the aim of the opposition parties is to remove the BJP government and Gandhi would play an important role in it. “Leaders from most of the political parties in the country have participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. This will help in initiating a dialogue which is the most important when it comes to forming a united front. The focus of the opposition would be to bring down the BJP government. Congress has a bigger responsibility because it is the biggest opposition party in the country,” Thorat added.