Talks For National Alliance Of Opposition Parties To Start Soon, Says Sanjay Raut; Adds That Congress Will Be Its Soul

Shiv Sena leader and incumbent Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut said yesterday (9 May) that the talks for the formation of an alliance of opposition parties at the national level are set to start in a few days, reports Economic Times.

Raut said that he had discussed the issue with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar and also added that the Congress party will be the soul of such an opposition alliance.

Raut emphasised, “There is a need to have a strong alliance of opposition parties in the country. But there can't be an alliance without the Congress party. It will be the soul. Leadership can be decided through consultations.”

Raut added, “The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra was formed after three ideologically different parties (Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) came together and the leadership was unanimously given to Uddhav Thackeray. This is an ideal alliance, which is working fine.”

Raut also added that Congress is a pan-India party and that it needs to be strengthened further given its recent performance in West Bengal assembly elections. He opined that the party has done well in the Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu assembly elections.