Consensus on Oppn unity for Lok Sabha polls but tie-up ‘difficult’ in some states, says Sharad Pawar

'There is difficulty in some state elections. But for Lok Sabha, there is a feeling we should work together,' Sharad Pawar said at a press conference in Mumbai, Saturday.

NCP president Sharad Pawar arrives at the venue for a press conference ahead of the I.N.D.I.A bloc meeting in Mumbai, on 30 August 2023 | PTI

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday acknowledged there are differences of opinion among opposition parties over putting up a united front in some state polls but there is also a feeling that all must fight the Lok Sabha polls together.

Addressing a press conference, Pawar said the trends of the recent Assembly polls suggest the situation is favourable for the opposition, but noted he had no authentic information to comment on whether there would be a change (in government) at the national level.

The Bharatiya Janata Party does not have governments in a majority of states, including Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Punjab, he pointed out.

“We have some views. A majority view (among opposition parties) suggests that everyone should come together for Parliament polls (against the BJP-led NDA). For Vidhan Sabha (Assembly polls in states), we have a difference of opinion,” Pawar said.

He pointed out there are states where the Congress is an important party and so are regional outfits because of which these issues must be resolved across the table.

“But while doing so, it is not so easy in state polls the way it is in the Lok Sabha elections. Among our colleagues, there is definitely a feeling we have to come together for Lok Sabha polls. There is difficulty in some state elections. But for Lok Sabha, there is a feeling we should work together, said Pawar.

Pawar, a key leader of the 28-party opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), cited the example of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which is effectively a “strong” party in West Bengal, but the Left parties or the Congress cannot be “bypassed”.

Pawar said people have been urging him to expedite the work of INDIA alliance, which means more work has to be done on it.

Earlier this month, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the Congress should not “betray” his party and must make it clear if the grand old party wants an alliance or not.

The spat between the two INDIA bloc allies started after their failure to arrive at a seat-sharing arrangement for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for November 17.

The Congress is fighting polls to the 230-member Assembly in MP alone.

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.