'They Have Nothing To Offer One Another': Ghulam Nabi Azad On Opposition Unity Ahead Of June 23 Mega Meet

However, Ghulam Nabi Azad clarified that he wants the opposition to unite to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in next year's general election.

Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad

Source : PTI File Photo

Democratic Progressive Azad Party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said he saw no benefit coming out of “opposition unity” ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. "Opposition unity will benefit only when there is something for both sides. There may be a difference in the share of benefits for the two — it can be 50-50 or 60-40 — but in this case, both sides have nothing to offer to the other," he said. On being asked if he was invited to the meeting of Opposition parties called by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Azad said he was not invited, reported PTI. 

Azad pointed out the fact that all the opposition parties were not present in all the states and in such a case what would they get by forging an alliance with their allies. 

Talking about Bengal, Azad said Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have no MLA in the state and wondered that just in case the two parties forge an alliance with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), what does the latter stand to gain?

"Why would Banerjee enter into an alliance? What benefit will she get out of it? Similarly, the TMC has no MLA in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. What would Congress give her in these states? Nothing," he said.

Similarly, the Congress does not have a single legislator in Andhra Pradesh, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister pointed out, adding that the ruling YSRCP in the southern state, led by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has no MLA anywhere else.

"What will the Congress give to him (Reddy) and what will he give to the Congress party?" he wondered while asserting that "opposition unity" is nothing but a "good photo opportunity".

However, the former Union minister clarified that he wants the opposition to unite to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in next year's general election.

"But unfortunately, each opposition party has nothing in other states than their own. It would have been beneficial if two-three parties had formed governments (in an alliance) in the states.

"There will be no difference whether there is a pre-poll or a post-poll alliance. They will get the same number of seats in a pre-poll alliance as well as in a post-poll alliance. I see higher chances of an alliance in the post-election scenario," he said.