New Delhi: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge here Thursday evening. Sharad Pawar also pledged to take forward opposition unity efforts and bring other parties together that are not part of the process. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting held at Kharge’s residence.
Kharge welcomed Pawar’s initiative. “We are happy that he has come here directly from Mumbai and guided us. Yesterday (Wednesday) we along with Rahul ji had talks with Nitish ji (Kumar) and Tejashwi ji (Yadav) that all parties should unite to save the country, democracy and protect the Constitution, besides ensuring freedom of speech and expression, providing employment to youth and checking inflation and misuse of autonomous bodies. We have decided to unite together and fight and we will talk to all the parties,” Kharge added.
Kharge also appealed to all the other opposition parties. “I want that we should all work together in the nation’s interest and this is what Pawar sahib wants. Pawar sahib said that all the like-minded parties should unite,” the Congress chief said.
Pawar said all the parties have the same thinking, ‘but, mere thinking will not help and efforts should be made for unity’.
“There are some political parties who have similar ideologies, efforts should be made to bring them together and Kharge is the leader of opposition and he has made this effort which will benefit everyone. This is a beginning. After this, other opposition parties such as Mamata Banerjee’s TMC or Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP or other parties with whom talks have not taken place, efforts should be made to bring them together under this process for unity,” Pawar said.
Rahul asserted that the Congress is committed towards having a united opposition. “Kharge ji and Pawar ji have said that this process of uniting the opposition has started. This is a beginning and all parties are committed towards this process,” Rahul stated.
Kharge later tweeted a picture with Pawar and Rahul Gandhi. “Stronger, together! We stand united for a better, brighter and an equal future for our people. Along with Shri Rahul Gandhi ji met NCP president, Shri Sharad Pawar ji and had a discussion on the future course of action,” Kharge said.
Pawar, who returned from Maharashtra Thursday evening, will hold further deliberations with other parties to bring opposition unity.