Parties dreaming of an Opposition entrance minus Congress probably reside in idiot’s paradise: Jairam Ramesh 

By PTI

KOLKATA: Senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh on Sunday asserted that non-BJP events that dream of opposition unity with out the grand previous celebration because the fulcrum is feasible live in a “fool’s paradise”.

Without naming any outfit, he mentioned many regional events have back-stabbed the grand previous celebration prior to now to serve their very own self-interests, and that such events ought to cease utilizing Congress as a punching bag.

“There cannot be any opposition unity without the Congress as its fulcrum. That is fundamental. If any non-BJP outfit thinks any alliance sans the Congress can provide a stable government for five years, it is living in a fool’s paradise. There can never be any opposition unity minus the Congress,” Ramesh affirmed in an interview with PTI in Kolkata, the place he had come to attend a celebration programme. 

Although he dubbed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) because the “B-team” of the BJP, Ramesh stopped wanting analysing the function of the Trinamool Congress, which too, just like the Arvind Kejriwal-led celebration, is against the Congress, by saying, “It (TMC) has Congress in its name.” 

“We have said this before. There is ample evidence to prove that AAP is the B-team of the BJP. If you look at its history or the background of its leaders, you will know it. Regarding the TMC, I am yet to make my assessment, but I think they, too, have Congress in their name,” he mentioned.

Without naming anybody, Ramesh mentioned those that discuss of opposition unity with out the Congress solely wish to weaken the opposition entrance and the grand previous celebration. 

“In an alliance, you give something and receive something in return. It is an understanding. So far, the Congress has been offering, and everyone has benefited from it. And after getting benefits, they have been trying to use the Congress as a punching bag to weaken it. This has to stop now,” he mentioned.

Terming the Congress the “big elephant of Indian politics”, Ramesh mentioned nobody ought to make the error of “writing it off”.

Speaking on the continued Bharat Jodo Yatra, he mentioned a strengthened Congress and a extra sturdy and constructive opposition can be the tip product of the march.

“We have started the Yatra over national issues. The country is going through a situation where our politics, economy, and institutions are falling apart due to the BJP and its divisive politics. Another motive of the Yatra is to galvanise the rank and file of the Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” the previous union setting minister mentioned.

Ramesh mentioned the Yatra was not geared toward state elections within the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. When instructed that the Congress is talking of “Bharat Jodo” when the celebration itself is in disarray, Ramesh mentioned the outfit is attempting to repair its inner points. 

“We have to set our house in order, and we are doing it. We have to fix our issues and are in the process of doing it. The Congress is a 137-year-old party; sometimes, there are some crucial moments in history when you need out-of-the-box thinking to reach out to the masses. Bharat Jodo Yatra is one such thinking and will be a game changer,” he mentioned.

An almost 3,650-km-long padayatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir is being undertaken by senior chief Rahul Gandhi since September 7. The five-and-a-half month-long march goals to galvanise Congress cadres and strengthen the organisation, inhaling new power.

Taking a swipe at Congress ‘G-23’ leaders, senior politicians of the celebration who had sought an organisational overhaul and elections in any respect ranges in a letter to the Congress president in August 2020, Ramesh mentioned that after the age of 65, senior politicos ought to act as “mentors and groom next-generation leaders”.

“Senior Congress leaders should act as mentors. I believe I am now 68 and don’t have the same energy I used to have ten or five years back. After the age of 65, one should identify people who are in their 30s and 40s and groom them for becoming next-generation leaders,” he mentioned.

Speaking on the continued desertion of senior leaders from the celebration, Ramesh mentioned those that have gotten all the things from the Congress are leaving the celebration.

“There are two types of people who are leaving the Congress. The first type includes those who have benefited immensely from the party. Ghulam Nabi Azad is an example. He got everything from the party and has now left it. The second type are those leaving the Congress to escape investigative agencies which are after them for their previous sins. Dedicated Congressmen will never desert the party,” he mentioned.

When requested whether or not the thought of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to mobilise plenty has been taken from the Ram Rath Yatra of the BJP within the 90s, Ramesh replied within the destructive.

“Earlier, on several occasions, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have taken out yatras, but maybe not of this scale. And regarding BJP’s yatra, it was in response to V P Singh’s Mandal Commission. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is against the divisive politics and policies of the BJP,” he added.

KOLKATA: Senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh on Sunday asserted that non-BJP events that dream of opposition unity with out the grand previous celebration because the fulcrum is feasible live in a “fool’s paradise”.

Without naming any outfit, he mentioned many regional events have back-stabbed the grand previous celebration prior to now to serve their very own self-interests, and that such events ought to cease utilizing Congress as a punching bag.

“There cannot be any opposition unity without the Congress as its fulcrum. That is fundamental. If any non-BJP outfit thinks any alliance sans the Congress can provide a stable government for five years, it is living in a fool’s paradise. There can never be any opposition unity minus the Congress,” Ramesh affirmed in an interview with PTI in Kolkata, the place he had come to attend a celebration programme. 

Although he dubbed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) because the “B-team” of the BJP, Ramesh stopped wanting analysing the function of the Trinamool Congress, which too, just like the Arvind Kejriwal-led celebration, is against the Congress, by saying, “It (TMC) has Congress in its name.” 

“We have said this before. There is ample evidence to prove that AAP is the B-team of the BJP. If you look at its history or the background of its leaders, you will know it. Regarding the TMC, I am yet to make my assessment, but I think they, too, have Congress in their name,” he mentioned.

Without naming anybody, Ramesh mentioned those that discuss of opposition unity with out the Congress solely wish to weaken the opposition entrance and the grand previous celebration. 

“In an alliance, you give something and receive something in return. It is an understanding. So far, the Congress has been offering, and everyone has benefited from it. And after getting benefits, they have been trying to use the Congress as a punching bag to weaken it. This has to stop now,” he mentioned.

Terming the Congress the “big elephant of Indian politics”, Ramesh mentioned nobody ought to make the error of “writing it off”.

Speaking on the continued Bharat Jodo Yatra, he mentioned a strengthened Congress and a extra sturdy and constructive opposition can be the tip product of the march.

“We have started the Yatra over national issues. The country is going through a situation where our politics, economy, and institutions are falling apart due to the BJP and its divisive politics. Another motive of the Yatra is to galvanise the rank and file of the Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” the previous union setting minister mentioned.

Ramesh mentioned the Yatra was not geared toward state elections within the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. When instructed that the Congress is talking of “Bharat Jodo” when the celebration itself is in disarray, Ramesh mentioned the outfit is attempting to repair its inner points. 

“We have to set our house in order, and we are doing it. We have to fix our issues and are in the process of doing it. The Congress is a 137-year-old party; sometimes, there are some crucial moments in history when you need out-of-the-box thinking to reach out to the masses. Bharat Jodo Yatra is one such thinking and will be a game changer,” he mentioned.

An almost 3,650-km-long padayatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir is being undertaken by senior chief Rahul Gandhi since September 7. The five-and-a-half month-long march goals to galvanise Congress cadres and strengthen the organisation, inhaling new power.

Taking a swipe at Congress ‘G-23’ leaders, senior politicians of the celebration who had sought an organisational overhaul and elections in any respect ranges in a letter to the Congress president in August 2020, Ramesh mentioned that after the age of 65, senior politicos ought to act as “mentors and groom next-generation leaders”.

“Senior Congress leaders should act as mentors. I believe I am now 68 and don’t have the same energy I used to have ten or five years back. After the age of 65, one should identify people who are in their 30s and 40s and groom them for becoming next-generation leaders,” he mentioned.

Speaking on the continued desertion of senior leaders from the celebration, Ramesh mentioned those that have gotten all the things from the Congress are leaving the celebration.

“There are two types of people who are leaving the Congress. The first type includes those who have benefited immensely from the party. Ghulam Nabi Azad is an example. He got everything from the party and has now left it. The second type are those leaving the Congress to escape investigative agencies which are after them for their previous sins. Dedicated Congressmen will never desert the party,” he mentioned.

When requested whether or not the thought of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to mobilise plenty has been taken from the Ram Rath Yatra of the BJP within the 90s, Ramesh replied within the destructive.

“Earlier, on several occasions, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have taken out yatras, but maybe not of this scale. And regarding BJP’s yatra, it was in response to V P Singh’s Mandal Commission. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is against the divisive politics and policies of the BJP,” he added.