Yashwant Sinha said the Congress needs to show leadership in many states.
Highlights
- Congress needs to show leadership, Yashwant Sinha told NDTV
- He underscored the need for opposition to get over their differences
- "Reach a tactical understanding (with Congress)," he advised SP-BSP
Congress is the only national party and in many states, it needs to show leadership, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha told NDTV today. With just three weeks to go for national elections, the former BJP veteran underscored the need for the opposition to get over its differences and stand together. For the Mayawati-Akhilesh Yadav alliance too, he had a word of advice -- "Please reach a tactical understanding (with the Congress). Three parties should stick together".
Mr Sinha, who was a minister in the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government and quit the BJP last April, said the BJP has done better in maintaining their alliances.
"I am not aware of internal dynamics of the Congress party. I'm looking at the results," Mr Sinha said.
The opposition alliance, while existing at a national level, has been non-existent in several states - the most critical of them being Delhi, Bengal, Bihar and the electorally crucial state of Uttar Pradesh.
Indicating that the onus of this mostly lay on the Congress, Mr SInha said, "The Congress is the only national party. Although they have not won many seats in last Lok Sabha polls, they have more responsibility on their shoulders. Leadership qualities are wanted from the Congress in many states. We are losing time".
Indicating that the onus of this mostly lay on the Congress, Mr Sinha said, "The Congress is the only national party. Although they have not won many seats in last Lok Sabha polls, they have more responsibility on their shoulders. Leadership qualities are wanted from the Congress in many states. We are losing time".
Regarding the alliance in Uttar Pradesh - a state that can make or mar the fortunes of parties aspiring to hold power at the Centre -- Mr Sinha was concerned. Even if there are "major difference of opinions", let them have a "friendly fight and not ruin everything", the veteran leader said.
After the public show of rancour by Mayawati over the Congress offer of non-contest in seven seats of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Sinha had offered to both sides what he called "unsolicited advice" in a series of tweets.
The prospects of the alliance in Delhi between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party appears remote, with Mr Kejriwal saying yesterday that the Congress has turned it down. There has been no comment from the Congress.
The Bihar alliance is on track and will be announced after Holi, Tejaswhi Yadav said today.