‘ Opp. must unite, field candidates against BJP’

New Delhi, Nov 24: Former Union minister Arun Shourie on Friday advocated unity among Opposition parties to defeat the BJP, saying there must be one candidate in every seat against its nominee in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

“If you really think the country is in peril... Then you must get together. There must be one candidate against people who we all believe are taking the country to a dangerous zone,” he said, sharing the dais with AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

His comments came on a day West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave a similar call, saying democracy is under threat under the BJP rule as she asked Opposition parties to work together for the greater interest of the people before the next Lok Sabha polls.

The leaders were together at a panel discussion following the release of a book, “India Social”, written by AAP’s social media strategist Ankit Lal.

Mr Kejriwal, who has been kept out of the Congress- led unity efforts among Opposition parties, said the next election will be “Modi versus people of India” as he hit out at the BJP government over its economic policies which, he claimed, have derailed people’s lives and left them angry.

“The discontent will rise if they don’t do much on the economic front,” Mr Kejriwal said. Both leaders also attacked the government over the “suspicious death” of a judge.

If you really think the country is in peril, then you must get together. There must be one candidate against people who we believe are taking the country to a dangerous zone.

— Arun Shourie, Ex- Union minister