Congress is willing to forge alliances with like-minded parties to get rid of ‘anti-people’ BJP government in 2024, says Mallikarjun Kharge at 85th Plenary

Emergence of any Third Front will only help NDA/BJP, says the Congress

Updated - February 26, 2023 08:31 am IST - Nava Raipur

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi during the 85th Plenary Session.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi during the 85th Plenary Session. | Photo Credit: PTI

There is an urgent need to have a united Opposition and the emergence of a third front will help the BJP and National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Congress said in the political resolution that was adopted at the 85th Plenary session of the party.

Stating that the Congress should go all out to “identify, mobilise and align like-minded secular forces”, the resolution read, “There is an urgent need for a united opposition to take on the NDA on common ideological grounds. Emergence of any third force will provide advantage to the BJP/NDA”.

In his opening address at the Plenary on Saturday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also stressed that his party is the only one that can provide an alternative and decisive leadership under the prevailing circumstances. And the Congress is willing to forge alliance with like-minded parties to get rid of the “anti-people” BJP government in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Noting that the Congress effectively led a coalition between 2004 and 2014, Mr. Kharge said, “We once again look forward to forging a viable alternative by aligning with like-minded parties to defeat the anti-people and undemocratic BJP government”.

“We are ready to strive for the welfare of the people of our country and [will make] whatever sacrifices that are required,” he added.

The Congress’ position on alliances is significant in the wake of a bitter exchange with Trinamool Congress during the Meghalaya Assembly election campaign and ongoing efforts by parties like Bharat Rashtra Samithi (earlier Telangana Rashtra Samithi) to forge an alternative Opposition front without the grand old party.

The Congress chief accused the BJP of “breaking parliamentary and constitutional traditions” and “misusing” agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for toppling governments.

He claimed that the Plenary session was also targeted with ED raids in Chhattisgarh but Congress leaders including Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel fought bravely to ensure that the session could be held.

“Our aim is to stop the use of money power, muscle power and the misuse of government agencies like CBI, ED in toppling democratically elected governments. This is the Congress’ vision of participation and partnership in the country’s development,” he said.

Mr. Kharge also said the party will make efforts to rid the country of the “prevailing environment of hate” and spread harmony.

In fact, many of the points raised in the Congress president’s speech were a reflection of the nine-page political resolution that had as many as 56 points: from “misuse of central agencies like ED, CBI and I-T to regular attacks on the judiciary led by the Law Minister”.

“Every institution has been subverted, undermined and threatened. Democracy is on the verge of being expunged from India,” read the resolution, adding that free discussions and debates in Parliament and Assemblies have been curtailed.

“Expunging the truth and suppressing the voices of the Opposition is becoming the order of the day. This is a blatant subversion of Article 105 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech as a right for Members of Parliament. The declining time and quality of debate in Parliament shows how the BJP is undermining parliamentary democracy,” the party document read.

Though the resolution didn’t mention anything specific, the point seemed to refer to the removal from parliamentary records Mr. Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi’s speech about Adani-Hindenburg report.

While the Congress resolution talked about restoring statehood for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and bringing Ladakh under the sixth schedule of the Constitution, the party chose to be silent on the abrogation of the Article 370 that gave special status to J&K.

Other key promises in the resolution included a proposed law against hate crimes, an anti-discrimination law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, gender or language, reform in electoral funding by setting up a National Election Fund, doubling the total health expenditure and re-introducing a law for time-bound disposal of public grievances.

Questioning the efficacy of electronic voting machines (EVMs), the resolution said that as many as 14 recognised political parties, eminent activists and computer scientists have raised their concerns with the Election Commission (EC) but have not received a satisfactory response. “The Congress will build the widest possible consensus with all like-minded political parties to take up the issue with EC, and if they do not respond, then go to court,” it said.

Asserting that the Congress will prepare a vision document for 2024, following the largest-ever mass contact programme of Bharat Jodo Yatra, the party said, “Congress resolves to liberate the nation from its present agony and darkness, heal the wounds created by these divisive forces, and reinstate stability and peace again”.

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