Gehlot Calls on Regional Parties to Rejoin Congress and Support Rahul Gandhi's Leadership

Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday echoed the proposal that regional parties which emerged from the Congress should consider reuniting with the grand old party and rallied behind Rahul Gandhi’s leadership in a bid to strengthen opposition unity ahead of future political battles. Gehlot made the remarks in response to a suggestion made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who recently argued that parties born out of the Congress fold should return to the parent organisation and collectively back Rahul Gandhi as the face of the opposition. Speaking on the need for a stronger opposition front, Gehlot said the political situation in the country required a united effort to safeguard democratic values. “All regional parties that separated from Congress should rejoin and wholeheartedly accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader.” He said, “I believe that what Sanjay Raut has said has merit. The time has come. Now the fight is to save democracy.” The former Rajasthan Chief Minister said that when we are all in the battlefield fighting to save democracy, then what Sanjay Raut said, I support it. “All those parties that became regional parties after separating from Congress should rejoin, and they should wholeheartedly accept Rahul Gandhi as the leader,” he emphasised. Gehlot said that there should be a message across the entire country that the leader of the INDIA alliance is Rahul Gandhi. “This message should be clear-cut. Then the people will make you successful. They see that on one side is Narendra Modi and on the other side is Rahul Gandhi. If there is a clear-cut message that all political parties have together accepted Rahul Gandhi as their leader, then you will see that the voting pattern in the country will change,” the veteran Congress leader said. He pointed out that the Shiv Sena has always been a separate party, while CPI(M) and CPI have also been separate. “We cannot make any claim over them, nor can we urge them in that manner. But the other parties that were formed after separating from Congress should think about it. For example, the Samajwadi Party was also separate; it was formed independently earlier. We have no complaint against them. I believe that democracy in this country is in great danger, in great danger, in great danger,” he said. Gehlot then said that why he repeatedly speak to the younger generation. “I say that you should enter politics on the basis of ideology, whether you are students or young people. Your time has come. Come, participate in politics. “Understand everyone’s ideology, and whichever one you find good and in the national interest, join that party, we have no objection. But at least come and get involved. History will also ask you in the future what role you played in your time. Do not avoid that responsibility. Do not stay away. Come, participate, and play your role and fulfill your responsibility,” he added.