New Delhi: Opposition parties will work together to defeat the BJP, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday in the presence of TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The parties will work to ensure that the attack on democratic institutions stops, Gandhi said after meeting Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties to take on the saffron party in the Lok Sabha elections next year.
Gandhi said opposition parties will work together on most important issues, including unemployment and corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal. “It is very clear that corruption is taking place. Institutions that can investigate are being attacked… A proper inquiry on what all happened, where the money went and who did corruption… that is what I am pushing very aggressively. Nation wants to know this,” the Congress president said.
Naidu said he was in discussion with all political parties. “We will meet on a common platform and chalk out strategies,” he said.
Responding to a question, he said, “You are interested in candidates, we are interested in the nation.” Naidu’s meeting with Gandhi comes amid seat-sharing talks between the two parties for the December 7 Assembly elections in Telangana.
Earlier in the day, Naidu met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah here. According to TDP sources, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav spoke to Naidu over the phone yesterday and the latter will visit Delhi every week to speed up the process of uniting opposition parties. The TDP had earlier criticised the Congress on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Meeting with Gandhi is seen as fresh efforts to align with the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. (PTI)
