In Opposition's 'unity committee', rivals Congress, AAP tasked to strengthen anti-BJP front

After sharing the dais at Mamata Banerjee's massive Kolkata rally, sworn enemies in Delhi - the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress - are playing partners in the Opposition's four-party 'Unity Committee' formed to strengthen the anti-BJP front for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in May this year. According to a report published in NDTV, the four-party election committee comprising one member each from the Congress, the AAP, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, has been given the task to plan the Opposition’s campaign strategy for the Lok Sabha polls 2019.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal is part of the four-member committee along with Congress's Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and BSP's Satish Mishra. For the Congress party, the task is expected to be a major challenge as all the three members are from rival parties.

Also Read | At Mamata Banerjee’s ‘United India’ rally, Opposition vows to dethrone Narendra Modi

While the rivalry of AAP and the Congress, especially in national capital Delhi, is not hidden to anyone, the Grand Old Party’s relationship with the SP and BSP is also going through a bad phase after the two powerful regional parties excluded it from their grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier on Sunday, the leaders of the Congress and AAP had shared the dais at Mamata Banerjee's massive anti-BJP rally in Kolkata. Dubbed as the United India Rally, at least 25 top leaders of the Opposition parties vowed to dethrone the Narendra Modi-led NDA government.

Opposition leader during the 'United India Rally' in Kolkata. (Photo: Twitter/AITCofficial)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who delivered a passionate speech at the rally, had said that what Pakistan could not do to India in the 70 years, the Modi-Shah duo has done that in just five years.

"What Pakistan could not achieve in 70 years since India’s independence, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have achieved in five years. They have turned Hindus against Muslims, Muslims against Christians. If they return to power the country will disintegrate," Kejriwal said at Mamata Banerjee’s Kolkata rally.

From the Congress party, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is also the part of the four-member committee, and Mallikarjun Kharge took the part in the rally. During his address, Kharge read out a message from UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi that "the upcoming general elections will be on the faith of restoring democracy in our country."

HIGHLIGHTS

• AAP, Congress, SP and the BSP are part of the four-party committee.
• The committee is tasked with strengthening the anti-BJP front.
• AAP and Congress are arch-rivals in Delhi but came together for the rally.