"If It Could Happen In 1977...": Sharad Pawar Over Opposition Unity

New Delhi:

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the opposition parties were keen on providing an alternative to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year and projecting a prime ministerial face was not an issue.

Sharad Pawar, addressing a press conference here, said that he would attend the meeting of opposition leaders convened by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on June 23 and strive for putting up a joint fight against the BJP.

"A prime ministerial face is not an issue before us. Even in 1977, no one was projected as the prime minister. The Janata Party won the elections and Morarji Desai was made the prime minister," the NCP supremo said.

"If it could happen in 1977, why can't it happen now? We have the responsibility to provide the people of this country with an alternative to the BJP," he said.

Mr Pawar stressed that it was not a necessity to project a prime ministerial face in Lok Sabha elections.

"There is a need to present an alternative before the people. If we contest the elections together, we will be able to provide that alternative. The result of this will decide things in the future," Mr Pawar said.

Mr Pawar said there has been a suggestion to put up joint opposition candidates against the BJP and this issue will be discussed at the meeting in Patna on June 23.

"There has been a suggestion that where BJP is strong, if possible, non-BJP parties can field a single candidate. This will be discussed in Patna.

"The meeting in Patna will give a new direction as people want change. We will make sincere efforts to meet the expectations of the people," he said.

On incidents of communal violence in Maharashtra, Mr Pawar said the people of the state will reject such divisive politics as they did in Karnataka.

The NCP chief alleged that the BJP and its allied organisations were vitiating the atmosphere in Maharashtra "as they did in Karnataka in the name of Lord Hanuman".

"But the people of Karnataka rejected the communal agenda. I am confident that the people of Maharashtra too will not accept it," Mr Pawar said.

On threats to him over social media, Mr Pawar said he trusts Maharashtra Police and is confident that it will do its job sincerely.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)