Congress' Jairam Ramesh on '2 realities for opposition platform against BJP'
Jairam Ramesh also spoke about the party's plan to begin the process of talking to different political parties soon.
As parties gear up to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the next year's general election, Congress' senior leader Jairam Ramesh Saturday defined what he said should be the "two realities" for any opposition platform.
The first one, the Congress general secretary outlined, was the very obvious - that the Congress must be the “fulcrum of any opposition alliance”, adding without it "no opposition alliance is relevant or meaningful". He also said that an opposition alliance should be based on a “constructive agenda”, and not just driven by what he said were "anti-BJPism" or "anti-governmentism".
“Any opposition platform to defeat the BJP must be based on two realities. One, Congress must be the fulcrum of any opposition alliance. Without Congress, no opposition alliance is relevant or meaningful,” he was quoted by news agency ANI. “Two, any opposition alliance must be based on a constructive agenda, not just a negative agenda of anti-BJPism or anti-governmentism. It has to be based on a positive, constructive agenda,” the Congress leader added. Jairam Ramesh also spoke about the party's plan to begin the process of talking to different political parties soon.
The Congress has been busy with its cross-country march, Bharat Jodo Yatra, which has widely been perceived as the Grand Old Party's attempt to connect with the masses to revive its political fortunes. With the march – currently in its last lap in Kashmir – set to conclude soon, the party may begin talks with other parties.
Jairam Ramesh also spoke to news agency PTI. He elaborated he would ideally want the Congress to take on the BJP alone but that may not be realistic in 2024. "My view is that, for 2029, we should be preparing to fight on our own in every state. But I am realistic that this position may not find favours within my own political party," he said.
He, however, added that in some states, the Congress has given too much space to its allies which is detrimental to organisation building.
When asked about personal ambitions affecting the party's prospects in various states and how the Congress would solve Rajasthan's Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot feud, he said, "These personal ambition and personal goals have been a bane of the Congress. What the Bharat Jodo Yatra has done is that it has brought a sense of collective purpose and solidarity, and that is what is needed in state after state, including in Rajasthan."
(With ANI, PTI inputs)
