‘Not So Easy In State Polls’: Sharad Pawar On Unity Within I.N.D.I.A Bloc Ahead Of Assembly, LS Polls

Sharad Pawar acknowledged that there are disagreements among opposition parties about putting up a united front in some state elections, but there is also a feeling that all must fight together.

Addressed the media on Saturday, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar acknowledged the 'existence of differing opinions among opposition parties concerning the formation of a united front in some state polls'. However, he also stressed the unanimous belief that 'all parties must unite' to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as reported by news agency PTI. 

During his press conference, Pawar commented on the forthcoming Assembly polls in five states scheduled for November, indicating that the current trends appear favourable for the opposition. Nonetheless, he also mentioned that he lacked concrete information to speculate about a potential change in the national government.

"We have diverse views. A prevailing sentiment among opposition parties is that they should join forces for the Parliamentary elections against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Among our colleagues, there is definitely a feeling we have to come together for the Lok Sabha polls. There is difficulty in some state elections. But for Lok Sabha, there is a feeling we should work together," Sharad Pawar can be heard saying in a video posted by ANI.  

Pawar pointed out that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not hold a majority of state governments, including those in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Punjab.

He emphasised that in some states, the Congress, as well as various regional parties, play a significant role, necessitating the resolution of these issues through discussion.

Pawar further noted that forging unity in state elections is more difficult than in Lok Sabha elections. Nonetheless, colleagues agree that they should work together for the Lok Sabha elections, as per the PTI report. 

Pawar, one of the prominent figures in the 28-party opposition bloc known as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), cited the example of the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, which is a dominant force in West Bengal. He emphasised that the Left parties and Congress cannot be overlooked in this context.

According to PTI, Pawar also mentioned that there is growing pressure on him to expedite the work of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, indicating that more efforts must be invested in this collaborative endeavour.