New Delhi: It is almost possible for the UPA-3 government to come to power in 2024 if the opposition parties have a common cause and an agenda that reflects it and are ready to follow a give-and-take policy while fielding candidates against the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal said on Sunday.
In an interview to PTI news agency from New York, former Congress leader Sibal also said that the opposition should come together and talk about a ‘new vision for India’ instead of a common minimum programme.
In states and constituencies where candidates of two or more political parties are vying for the same seat, a give-and-take policy should be followed for allotment of tickets. He said that if there is agreement on these three issues, the formation of UPA-3 government is almost possible.
Elaborating on his position, he said that in many states like Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Congress is the real opposition to the BJP. There will be no problem in these states.
It is well known that the TMC is a strong partner in states with non-Congress opposition governments, such as in West Bengal. Sibal said that there are only a few Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal where there is any kind of crisis and said that the victory of Congress in Karnataka is an example that BJP can be defeated. However, cautioning against blanket statements in general elections, he said Lok Sabha elections will be fought on a completely different footing.
Sibal also bet that the fight in the 2024 elections will not be against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but against the ideology he wants to perpetuate.
Sibal’s remarks have gained significance as senior opposition leaders hold a crucial meeting in Patna on June 23 to discuss forming an anti-BJP alliance for next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
