New Delhi: The INDIA bloc on Wednesday said it will take "appropriate steps at the appropriate time" to realise the people's desire not to be ruled by the BJP government, an assertion that was seen as reflecting the alliance's wait and watch approach while keeping its options open.
At a meeting of the INDIA bloc, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition alliance welcomes all parties which share its fundamental commitment to the values enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution and to its many provisions for economic, social and political justice.
Kharge, flanked by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP (SCP) president Sharad Pawar, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and other leaders of the INDIA bloc, read out a joint statement by the alliance after the meeting and said the grouping will continue to fight against the "fascist rule" of the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said the constituents of the alliance thank the people of India for their "overwhelming support". "The people's mandate has been a befitting reply to the BJP and their politics of hate, corruption and deprivation. This is a political and moral defeat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the Congress president said.
"This is a mandate in defence of the Constitution of India and against price rise, unemployment and crony capitalism of the Modi government. The INDIA bloc will continue to fight against the fascist rule of the BJP led by Shri Modi," he said. Reading out the statement, Kharge said, "We will take appropriate steps at the appropriate time to realise the people's desire not to be ruled by the BJP's government."
He said the decision has been taken by all constituents of the INDIA bloc in one voice. Amid speculation over the INDIA bloc's next move after its good performance in the Lok Sabha polls, the alliance partners held an over two-hour-long meeting at Kharge's 10, Rajaji Marg, residence here.
Besides Kharge, top Congress leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also attended the meeting.
Leaders attending the meeting included Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and T R Baalu of the DMK, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren and Kalpana Soren of the JMM, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule of the NCP-SCP, Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena-UBT), Omar Abdullah (JKNC), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha (AAP) and N K Premchandran (RSP).