Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan on Wednesday said Karnataka is the beginning of anti-BJP parties joining hands.
“I think what happened in Karnataka is the beginning of anti-BJP parties coming together. We need to replicate it everywhere,” Mr. Chavan said at an event organised by Friends of Democracy, an initiative of citizens.
The forum had invited the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Left, Aam Aadmi Party, and the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana.
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“The Congress is aware that it alone can not go ahead and take on the ruling party. Political parties with common agenda need to come together,” the former Chief Minister said.
NCP state unit president Jayant Patil said small parties need to keep their differences aside. “Then, the party with a mere 30% vote share will not come to power.”
Taking a dig at the BJP’s widespread advertisements claiming achievements in various sectors, Mr. Chavan said, “Did the BJP fulfil a single promise it advertised extensively? The BJP’s behaviour is like a cancer, which needs to be treated at the earliest.”
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Ajit Abhyankar, CPM leader, said the Left has clarified that its primary aim is to defeat the BJP. “However, there has to be a people’s movement on ground, and an agenda that will effectively counter the disastrous economic policies of the BJP.”
Farmer leader and Lok Sabha MP Raju Shetti said the major opposition parties also need to introspect as to why a farmers’ leader like him had to join hands with the BJP in 2014. “There should be some assurance of protecting the farmers’ interest if I am supposed to join an anti-BJP coalition,” he said.
Vivek Korde of Friends of Democracy said the initiative has been taken up by people in a bid to counter anti-constitutional activities of the government.
“This government is hell-bent on wiping out the real Indian-ness. We are coming together to ensure these forces are defeated,” he said.