Defeating BJP-RSS ideology, ousting Modi first priority: Kharge

Kolkata, Jan 19 (IANS) Defeating the ideology of BJP-RSS and removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be the primary focus of all opposition parties, Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said here on Saturday.

The leader said the matter of choosing a Prime Ministerial candidate can come later.

"First all of us have to come together to defeat the ideology of BJP and RSS and oust Modi. We will keep working to achieve this target. There is an old saying that if you can survive in Bakri Eid, you can think of dancing in Muharram. So, the possible Prime Ministerial candidate can be decided later," Kharge told the reporters at the state Congress headquarters here.

"I have come here to deliver Sonia Gandhi's message that AICC is ready to work with everyone across the country (to topple the BJP government)," he said.

Talking about the current political situation in Karnataka, where the ruling Congress accused the Narendra Modi regime at the Centre of attempting to "take control" of its party MLAs, the leader said his party is trying hard to keep the alliance with JD-S intact.

Congress accused the Centre of trying to topple the Karnataka government by scaring its MLAs using CBI, Income Tax and ED after four out of 79 Congress legislators skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet on Friday.

"The alliance with JD-S is still there. Congress is making all efforts to keep the alliance intact. BJP is trying divide, but we are trying to unite people. Two of the four MLAs who were absent have sent letters stating the reason of their absence. One had a case going on in the Supreme Court while the other was too far to attend the meeting," he said.

The Congress leader also said the party will send notice to the two absconding MLAs and take action against them as per the anti-defection law if their explanations are not found to be satisfactory.

When asked whether Congress would have any alliance with West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress in the state, Kharge said it is up to the party's state unit to take a call on that.

"There is a different situation in every state. We are aligning with the NCP in Maharashtra, with DMK in Tamil Nadu and with TDP in Andhra Pradesh. So, the strategy in Bengal will be decided by the party's state unit here. We will do whatever is good for the country and does not hamper the party ideology in any way," he added.