 "gender gap")
A strong sense of unease seems to be emerging in opposition parties over the presence of Congress, ahead of the Patna conclave of non-BJP parties.
Opposition parties seem visibly uncomfortable in working with the Congress to oust the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Samajwadi Party has tweeted a poster that quoted national president Akhilesh Yadav as saying, "We hope all those parties which wish to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party will support Samajwadi Party with a big heart."
Although it did not mention any party by name, there was an implied reference to the Congress.
The fresh reiteration from Samajwadi Party has come days before the Patna meeting.
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Yadav, who had confirmed his attendance for the June 23 meeting, said, "Whosoever is strongest, fighting against the BJP, and is in a position to defeat the BJP in that particular state should be supported by the joint opposition in that state."
Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam responded by saying, "AAP says leave Delhi and Punjab, Akhilesh Yadav says leave UP, Mamata Banerjee says leave West Bengal, KCR wants Congress to leave Telangana... Is this opposition unity, or a new form of a Congress-free country?"
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal started his party's campaign for the Rajasthan assembly elections in December by accusing the Congress and the BJP of "indulging in corruption" in the western state.
He accused Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of copying his schemes from Delhi and trying to project a Rajasthan development model, which he said is nothing but a replica of his Delhi model.
The Congress hit back, saying the AAP has no future in Rajasthan.
Kejriwal had sought support of the Congress to defeat the Centre's ordinance on transfer and posting of Delhi government officials in the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress is yet to respond.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi led by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has also shown discomfiture over the presence of the Congress. It has reiterated its stand of maintaining equidistance from the Congress and the BJP. The BRS sees the Congress as its main opponent in Telangana.
--IANS
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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
