To prevent division of anti-BJP votes, Cong to join hands with even smaller parties to win 300 seats
The Congress will go all out to form regional alliance and join hands with even smaller players to prevent division of anti-BJP votes. The reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Sunday authorised party president Rahul Gandhi to explore forging of State specific alliances for the 2019 general elections in an attempt to win 300 seats along with the allies.
Addressing the party's highest decision making body, Rahul said the Congress can come together with other parties and win the forthcoming elections, both the State Assemblies and general elections.
Also, he said expanding the Congress vote base is the biggest task for the party. Several senior party leaders suggested that the Congress should make as many allies as possible. "The process has already started and a committee has been formed for this," Rahul said. He refused to share details about the committee but said talks are going on with various like-minded political parties.
The need to reach out to even smaller political parties was the focus of the meeting of the newly-constituted CWC, presidents of Pradesh Congress Committees, members of the Congress legislature Party (ClP) from various States. The meet was chaired by Rahul.
There is also a likelihood of the new committee members brainstorming on the strategies to be adopted to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP in the run up to Assembly elections later this year and general elections 2019.
Top Congress leaders led by party chief Rahul accused the Modi Government of compromising India's democracy and depriving the poor. While Rahul said the NDA Government and its ideology were breaking the social fabric of the country with hatred, UPA chairperson and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the "reverse countdown" of the Modi Government has begun.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accused Modi of following a culture of constant "self praise and jumlas (theatrics)". Among those present at the CWC meeting include Manmohan, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, top Congress leaders AK Antony, Motilal Vora, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ashok Gehlot among others. Senior Congress leaders Janardan Dwivedi and Digvijay Singh who were just axed from the CWC were also invited for the newly constituted CWC meeting but they skipped the event.
About 40 leaders who spoke at the CWC meeting stressed that the Congress should play a lead role in forging an anti-BJP front. Some leaders said Rahul being the leader of the principle Opposition party should be the face of the national alliance.
While elderly leaders advised for search of all probable allies, young leaders like Sachin Pilot, Shakti Singh Gohil, Ramesh Chennithala advocated the party should continue with strategic alliances and Rahul should be the face of such alliances. Chennithala suggested that Rahul be projected as the Prime Ministerial face. Asked about party leaders wanting Rahul to be the face of the alliance, senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said, "Naturally, he is the leader of the main national (Opposition) party and we would want our leader to be the face of the Opposition alliance."
Senior party leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram gave a detailed presentation on how the party could be strengthened with the help of allies in various States. Sources said Chidambaram highlighted that the Congress is strong in 12 States and with the help of its allies, it can forge a formidable front for the next general election.
According to sources, Chidambaram said the Congress can take its tally from 48 seats in 2014 to 150 seats in 2019, where its allies could win another 150 seats.
"We are committed to make alliances work and we are all with him (Rahul) in this endeavour. We have to rescue our people from a dangerous regime that is compromising the democracy of India," UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said in her CWC address.
After taking a backseat to HD Kumaraswamy's JD(S) to keep the BJP out of power in Karnataka, Rahul has indicated that his party is willing to work with Opposition parties. This approach has the approval of regional parties like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who want the smaller parties well-entrenched in States to be given their due.