'There Will Be Differences, But...': Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav On Opposition Unity

The next meeting of Opposition parties will be held in Karnataka's Bengaluru on July 13 and 14. The last meeting was held in Patna on June 23.

New Delhi: As the “like-minded” Opposition parties are trying to forge a united front to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said despite difference of opinion between the political parties, SP will try its best to unite everyone. “In politics, there will be differences, and everyone is entitled to give their suggestions. However, the Samajwadi Party will try its best to unite everyone,” news agency PTI quoted Akhilesh Yadav as saying.

Earlier on Thursday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that the next meeting of Opposition parties will be held in Karnataka's Bengaluru on July 13 and 14. The last meeting was held in Patna on June 23.

It is to be noted that Akhilesh’s remarks echo Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s statement ahead of the Patna meet, when she said the parties will set aside all difference and “fight like a family”.

However, the Opposition efforts to firm up their strategy seem to be facing several stumbling blocks. The AAP and Congress engaged in a war of words with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal insisting the grand old party to clarify its stand on the Centre's ordinance that reversed the effect of Supreme Court verdict that gave the Delhi government power over administrative services. 

Moreover, the Congress slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala over the brief arrest of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran and described it as “copying the autocratic tactic of the Modi government.”

Meanwhile, in a major setback for K Chandrashekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana, 35 party leaders, including former MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and former minister Jupally Krishna Rao, joined the Congress earlier this week.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said the development was a sign that Congress would form the next government in Telangana.

"A whole host of very senior leaders in Telangana have today joined the Congress party. This is a big boost for us, a sign of how the winds of change have travelled all the way to Telangana. It's a sign that Congress will form the next government in Telangana," Shrinate said.