‘If ideology is same, why remain separate’: Tharoor on potential merger of smaller parties into Congress

SENIOR CONGRESS leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday appeared amenable to views expressed in certain sections on the potential merger of smaller parties into the Grand Old Party.

Addressingapressconference inmumbai,tharoorsaid,“asfaras smaller parties aligning or merging with Congress is concerned, I feel if the ideology is the same, then what is the need to be separate? Let’s see what happens.” ‘Atmosphere has changed, INDIA bloc will come to power’

Recently, NCP- SP chief Sharad Pawar said that in the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate with the Congress, or even merge with it.

Tharoor said that the atmosphere in the country has changed and on June 4, the India bloc will come to power.

“This LS election is not an ordinary election but a struggle to keep India’s soul safe. The BJP has endangered democracy and the Constitution, and openly undermined diversity,” Tharoor said.

Alleging that the BJP has brought religion into citizenship, hesaid,“wecannotusethewords that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using in public, even in a closed house, it is very disgraceful and it is not appropriate in politics.” Accusing the BJP government of not talking about unemployment, inflation and farmers’ issues, Tharoor said, “The BJP and

PM Modi are talking about unimportant issues by avoiding the burning questions of the people. Rahul Gandhi has given an open challengetopmmodifortalksbut Modi has not accepted it. During the UPA government, Dr Manmohan Singh used to hold pressconferencesandpresenthis position. PM Modi, however, is now giving scripted interviews.”

He also said the PM’S appeal to Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray to join the parties led by Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, respectively, was “meaningless”.