For Oppn unity, ‘sacrifices’ need to be made by sidelining personal interests: Sam Pitroda

By Anand Singh

New Delhi, June 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Technocrat and senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday said that for the success of the Opposition unity, the stake-holders need to make certain "sacrifices" which include setting aside their personal interests.

His statement comes ahead of the Opposition meeting in Patna aiming to unite for the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"United Progressive Alliance-3 (UPA-3) is a possibility in 2024 like it happened in 2004 and 2009 but the parties need to make some "sacrifices" by sidelining their personal interests," the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress said.

If the parties are willing to sacrifice for the sake of the nation, the alliance will emerge stronger but if their focus is on personal interests, the partnership will fall apart.

In an interview with IANS through video call, Pitorda, who has worked closely with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress Presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, said, "I think we all have realised that this alliance is important for 2024 Lok Sabha. If all the parties come together and put a united candidate, the 60 per cent of the remaining vote will not get split."

Pitroda said that if the BJP gets 40 per cent votes, the remaining 60 per cent of votes will get distributed among multiple candidates.

"So it's a good idea to have an alliance, but the question is how successful they will be in coming together and putting up one candidate, a united candidate against the BJP," he said.

"If they do that then it will be a victory. Even if they do that for 200 candidates out of 543 that's ok. That meeting will decide based on the wisdom of all the leaders, what is possible and what is not," he said.

He was responding to a question on the first opposition meeting scheduled in Patna and whether he thinks that United Progressive Alliance 3 is a possibility.

Commenting on the Opposition unity, the senior Congress leader said, "It will require sacrifice for many of these leaders and if they are willing to sacrifice for the sake of the nation the alliance will be stronger. If they become too focused on personal interest the alliance will not succeed."

His remarks came even as the first meeting of the Opposition parties is all set to take place in Patna where several top leaders have arrived to chalk out a strategy for the general elections.

Senior Congress leader and former union minister Renuka Chaudhary while speaking to IANS pointed out, "It doesn't matter if UPA 3 gets formed or some other thing else takes shape. In democracy if there is a vacuum... because today there is a vacuum in democracy in India. An attempt is being made by like-minded people with the common goal of restoring democracy, establishing it and strengthening it... an exercise (opposition meeting) and for that I am very happy."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had initiated the talks of bringing the Opposition parties together. He had dialled Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena Chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M.K. Stalin.

Following his call, Nitish Kumar took the initiative and met with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in the national capital on April 12 along with his deputy and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Kumar then met several opposition leaders like West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Thackeray, AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja and several other prominent leaders.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)

Source: IANS