Congress-RSP pact for municipal corporation, zila parishad polls

The Opposition Congress on Wednesday announced that it would contest the forthcoming municipal corporation and Zilla Parishad polls in alliance with a regional outfit, Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP), led by former minister Mahadev Jankar.

Lying more stress on the ZP elections than on municipal corporation elections, the Congress came out with its decision to have an alliance with the RSP.

Announcing an alliance between the two parties after a meeting between him and Jankar, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshvardhan Sapkal said, “Mahadev Jankar is a credible and reassuring voice of the Bahujan community.

At a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party is undermining democracy and the Constitution, like-minded parties have decided to come together and fight unitedly. Although there was no formal announcement of an alliance during the municipal council and Nagar Panchayat elections, the two parties contested together in Satara, Sangli, as well as in parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha.

Carrying forward the same approach, a decision has now been taken to stay together in the coming period as well.”

Jankar said that while working with the ideology of Shivaji, Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar, he felt that like-minded parties should stand united. “With this objective, I had met the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in Delhi. The RSP’s alliance with the Congress was finalised as early as May 31.”

“Rahul Gandhi is working as the voice of the country’s youth, women, Adivasis, the poor and the backward classes. At present, more than the number of seats, there is an urgent need to protect the Constitution and democracy, and to ensure that ordinary people are treated with dignity and respect,” Jankar said.

Meanwhile, extending his good wishes to the Shiv Sena–MNS alliance, Sakpal said: “The Congress extends its goodwill and best wishes to their alliance. “We believe in bringing people together, not breaking them apart,” he said. Sakpal said that while the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MNS) contested the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections together, there were strong sentiments among party workers that the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections should be fought independently. “Accordingly, the party took that decision, which was also announced by the party in-charge, Ramesh Chennithala,” he added.