New Delhi: Accusing the BJP of sponsoring the split in the NCP in Maharashtra, the Congress on Tuesday said this will only strengthen opposition unity and various parties will chalk out its further strategy at their meeting on July 17 and 18 in Bengaluru.
AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said all the opposition parties are aware of the BJP's tactics and they will have to be together in fighting such forces. "Actually, it is an opportunity for all of us and there is opposition unity. We know this type of tactics of the BJP very much. Now everybody is feeling that we have to be together to fight against these forces. It is going to strengthen opposition unity. On July 17 and 18, we are meeting in Bengaluru, where opposition parties will chalk out the programme," he told reporters at the party headquarters.
Venugopal said nothing will happen to the Maha-Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra and the split in the NCP is an opportunity for the MVA to strengthen further. "In fact, it is an opportunity for the MVA to strengthen further. You know that the BJP washing machine has started its job again in Maharashtra. On June 29, the prime minister went to Maharashtra and abused the NCP as the most corrupt party and mentioned about the Rs 72,000 crore irrigation scam. Who has done it," he asked.
Venugopal said Devendra Fadnavis fought against the then irrigation minister in a big way, but they have now become "good friends". "They have become deputy chief ministers and ministers. What they have to tell about the corruption now. "Now the washing machine has started working. Actually, it is an ED-sponsored government. They divided Shiv Sena by using ED, now they are dividing and splitting NCP by using ED. Basically, there is an ED-sponsored government . They have no moral right and there is no moral support of the people of Maharashtra. Therefore, we are believing that the people of Maharashtra will be behind MVA," the Congress leader also said.
Opposition parties will meet in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18, with the Congress claiming that their resolve to defeat the BJP has been strengthened by the "Mumbai operations" of the "BJP washing machine". "We are steadfast in our unwavering resolve to defeat the fascist and undemocratic forces," Venugopal had said on Monday.
"After a hugely successful all-opposition meeting in Patna, we will be holding the next meeting in Bengaluru on 17 and 18 July 2023. We are steadfast in our unwavering resolve to defeat the fascist and undemocratic forces and present a bold vision to take the country forward," Venugopal said. Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh also took a dig at the BJP over the NCP's Ajit Pawar and eight other leaders being inducted into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government.
"... When the BJP Washing Machine restarted in Mumbai with its ICE (Income tax, CBI, ED) detergent, BJP-inspired obituaries on Opposition unity were being planted. The obit writers will be disappointed. The next meeting of the parties that met at Patna on June 23rd will be held in Bengaluru on July 17th & 18th," he said. "If anything the Mumbai operations have strengthened Opposition resolve," Ramesh said on Twitter. (PTI)
