New Delhi [India], April 13 : Terming the process of uniting the Opposition as just a beginning, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that "to save the country and democracy and keep the Constitution safe" the opposition parties are ready to fight as 'one'.
"...To save the country and democracy and keep the Constitution safe, for freedom of speech and expression, for employment of youth and issues like inflation & misuse of autonomous bodies, we are ready to fight as one. We will talk to everyone one by one. Pawar Sahab too says the same...," Kharge said.
The Congress chief's remarks came while addressing media persons, here, after holding a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and senior opposition leader and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar.
After the meeting, Kharge took to Twitter and said, "Stronger, together ! We stand united for a better, brighter and an equal future for our people. Along with Shri @RahulGandhi
ji met @NCPspeaks President, Shri @PawarSpeaks ji and had a discussion on the future course of action."
The NCP chief flew down to the national capital on Thursday and attended the meeting with senior Congress leaders at Kharge's residence.
The meeting came days after Pawar apparently created a rift in opposition unity for opposing the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Ad issue, a tool Congress has been using to attack the ruling BJP, by saying that there is "no need" for such a probe.
However, while addressing the media, after the meeting, Pawar said that this is just the beginning (for a united opposition) and they will also throw efforts to rope in other important opposition parties including Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.
"Our thinking is exactly what Kharge ji told you. But mere thinking will not help. A process needs to be started...This is just the beginning. After this, talks will be held with other important opposition parties - be it Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal or others - to try to integrate them into this process...," Pawar told the press persons.
In adhering to the senior leaders' remarks, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that like Kharge Ji and Pawar Ji, a process has begun to unite the Opposition. "This is the beginning. All parties are committed to this process," he said.
Earlier, this month, Sharad Pawar had said that there is "no need" for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Ad issue as the Supreme Court-appointed committee will be more reliable and unbiased in its probe into the claims made in the report against the Indian conglomerate.
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