The Congress has hit back at Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati after she made a series of sharp comments against the Gandhis and the grand old party. Reacting to Mayawati's charge that the Congress should worry about itself, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the Congress has always worked for the people and fought issues both inside and outside Parliament to find solutions to every issue. “No, this is not right. the Congress party has always been with people, it always fights both inside and outside Parliament to find a solution to all issues. What she said is not correct,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on Sunday.
Mayawati's remarks on the Congress came a day after Rahul Gandhi said that the BSP chief “did not respond” to the party's alliance offer during the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
Responding further to Mayawati's remarks, Kharge underlined that it was important to “fight together” claiming the BJP-RSS are trying to weaken the opposition.
“They (BJP-RSS) are trying to see to it that only one party remains. Believers of democracy don't poach members of other parties. They (BJP) do this in places where they don't win. Mayawati said what Rahul Gandhi had been saying. Important to strengthen and fight together,” Kharge added.
“The Congress had invited Mayawati to join them and lead the alliance against BJP (in UP). But she didn't. Rahul Gandhi reiterated it yesterday. The public is suffering from inflation, no jobs, the RSS is controlling institutions. All Opposition parties should unite in this fight,” he said.
When asked about whether the doors to include the BSP in the Opposition alliance are still open, the veteran Congress leader said, “There is no use in speaking now. We will see when the time comes.”
{{/usCountry}}When asked about whether the doors to include the BSP in the Opposition alliance are still open, the veteran Congress leader said, “There is no use in speaking now. We will see when the time comes.”
{{/usCountry}}As India prepares for the General elections of 2024, the opposition parties have been attempting to unify to dethrone the ruling BJP-led NDA at the Centre.
At a press conference in Lucknow earlier in the day, the BSP chief said, "Rahul Gandhi's allegations of that the BSP is afraid of the BJP and that we were asked about the alliance and offered chief minister post to me, to which I didn't respond is outrightly fallacious."
She added, "Rahul Gandhi's comments show his inferior feelings and malevolence towards the Dalits and the BSP."
She also said the Congress cannot mend its own ways but is intruding into our matters. "They should think 100 times before commenting on us." She further charged that the Congress was unable to fight against the BJP and RSS, and is poking fingers at others.
(With agency inputs)