Elections 2024: Congress, Uddhav Thackeray faction bonhomie grows, Venugopal launches scathing attack on BJP
Venugopal’s comments came after his meeting with the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.
- Apr 18, 2023,
- Updated Apr 18, 2023 9:42 AM IST
The Opposition parties have a general consensus to fight together against the 'dictatorship' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal said. Venugopal also noted the Congress is in solidarity with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
He further said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have sabotaged democracy. Venugopal’s comments came after his meeting with the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Monday. This meeting was attended by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, and senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Bhai Jagtap among others.
"We have witnessed how democracy has been sabotaged by Modi and Amit Shah. All the opposition parties have a general consensus to fight together against the dictatorship of Modi. The Congress is in full solidarity with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). We are all in agreement that we have to fight these forces (BJP) together," he was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.
Venugopal further claimed that it was the government that disturbed the Parliamentary proceedings and not the opposition. He added that the BJP is disrupting the proceedings since they do not want a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to be constituted over the Adani-Hindenburg issue.
The AICC General Secretary further said central agencies are targeting opposition parties, especially the Shiv Sena (UBT). Venugopal said, “I came here to convey the message from Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi. The message is clear. Uddhav ji is fighting anti-democratic forces. The central agencies are targeting Shiv Sena (UBT). The opposition parties want to fight together. There’s consensus. Our ideologies are different but there is a need to fight together.”
He added a feeling of unity prevailed among opposition parties, thus, Congress president Kharge and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi met Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav and NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Venugopal also invited Thackeray for a meeting with Sonia Gandhi in Delhi and said Rahul Gandhi may soon come to Mumbai.
In the aftermath of this meeting with Venugopal, Thackeray also took aim at the BJP and PM Modi. Without naming Modi, the former Maharashtra CM used terms like “man-eater” and “power hungry” for the Centre.
Thackeray said, “We were with them (BJP) for 25 years but they have forgotten this friendship. We (Shiv Sena) are a party that lives up to friendship. We treat it like a relation.” The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also took aim at BJP president JP Nadda’s comments that no other party would be left in the country.
Thackeray said, "He may have said it unintentionally but it is something we have to oppose. The Sena will fight for democracy." He added that his party had spoken to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi since Lok Sabha elections are not even a year away.
The Shiv Sena Uddhav faction, Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) constitute the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which was in power till June 2022 when a rebellion led by Eknath Shinde caused a split in the Shiv Sena. After this, Shinde went onto become the Chief Minister and got the bow and arrow symbol.
Also read: 11 dead, over 120 suffer health issues due to heat stroke at Maharashtra govt event in Navi Mumbai
The Opposition parties have a general consensus to fight together against the 'dictatorship' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal said. Venugopal also noted the Congress is in solidarity with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
He further said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have sabotaged democracy. Venugopal’s comments came after his meeting with the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Monday. This meeting was attended by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, and senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Bhai Jagtap among others.
"We have witnessed how democracy has been sabotaged by Modi and Amit Shah. All the opposition parties have a general consensus to fight together against the dictatorship of Modi. The Congress is in full solidarity with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). We are all in agreement that we have to fight these forces (BJP) together," he was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.
Venugopal further claimed that it was the government that disturbed the Parliamentary proceedings and not the opposition. He added that the BJP is disrupting the proceedings since they do not want a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to be constituted over the Adani-Hindenburg issue.
The AICC General Secretary further said central agencies are targeting opposition parties, especially the Shiv Sena (UBT). Venugopal said, “I came here to convey the message from Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi. The message is clear. Uddhav ji is fighting anti-democratic forces. The central agencies are targeting Shiv Sena (UBT). The opposition parties want to fight together. There’s consensus. Our ideologies are different but there is a need to fight together.”
He added a feeling of unity prevailed among opposition parties, thus, Congress president Kharge and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi met Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav and NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Venugopal also invited Thackeray for a meeting with Sonia Gandhi in Delhi and said Rahul Gandhi may soon come to Mumbai.
In the aftermath of this meeting with Venugopal, Thackeray also took aim at the BJP and PM Modi. Without naming Modi, the former Maharashtra CM used terms like “man-eater” and “power hungry” for the Centre.
Thackeray said, “We were with them (BJP) for 25 years but they have forgotten this friendship. We (Shiv Sena) are a party that lives up to friendship. We treat it like a relation.” The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also took aim at BJP president JP Nadda’s comments that no other party would be left in the country.
Thackeray said, "He may have said it unintentionally but it is something we have to oppose. The Sena will fight for democracy." He added that his party had spoken to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi since Lok Sabha elections are not even a year away.
The Shiv Sena Uddhav faction, Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) constitute the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which was in power till June 2022 when a rebellion led by Eknath Shinde caused a split in the Shiv Sena. After this, Shinde went onto become the Chief Minister and got the bow and arrow symbol.
Also read: 11 dead, over 120 suffer health issues due to heat stroke at Maharashtra govt event in Navi Mumbai