Congress leader Jairam Ramesh dismissed any rift with Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the seat sharing issue asserting talk is still going on. He also pointed out that the focus is Lok Sabha not the assembly elections.
Reacting on the remarks of Ms. Banerjee who expressed doubts on Congress party to even win 40 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Mr. Kumar said that Congress party is going ahead by taking all political parties of Indian National Inclusive Development Alliance (INDIA) together.
“On June 23 last year, 18 political parties had gathered in Patna on the invitation of Nitish Kumar. Again INDIA block meeting took place in Bengaluru on July 17-18 in which 28 political parties were present and then on August 31 and September 3, the third meeting was held. Since day one the only motive of the Congress party was to make the INDIA block stronger. I accept that there are some minor issues with West Bengal but let me say that INDIA block has not been formed for the assembly election, it is for the Lok Sabha election,”Mr. Kumar said in Bokaro.
While accompanied by young Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Jharkhand Congress chief Rajesh Kumar in Bokaro, Mr. Ramesh stressed that keeping the Lok Sabha election in mind, everyone wants to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) including Ms. Banerjee.
Ms. Banerjee had earlier said that she had offered Congress party two seats but they rejected.
“Even the priority of Ms. Banerjee is to defeat BJP and this is what she is continuously saying. All the time Congress party is trying its best to strengthen the INDIA block and resolve the seat sharing which would be accepted by all political parties. TMC is the party of INDIA block and such remarks keep on coming from her side as well from our side. Our only goal is Lok Sabha, not assembly election,” Mr. Kumar said.
Slamming the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who recently snapped ties with Mahagathbandhan. Mr. Ramesh said that despite his exit, 27 parties of INDIA block are intact. He also claimed that one day Congress will form a government in Jharkhand.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as part of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached Godhar Kali locality of Dhanbad and he got down from his vehicle and set up the chaupal there to listen to the problems of the people.
Mr. Gandhi sat on the khat along with the people and villagers told him about the problems of unemployment. He kept listening to the problems amidst the coal fire and its rising smoke all around.
The people settled in the area collect coal from the collieries and burn it to prepare pora coal. After this, they fill that coal in sacks and take it to the hotel on bicycle. The income they earn from this is the only support for their life. This is their main source of employment and they do not have any other source to generate money.
From Dhanbad, he entered Bokaro steel city where attacked the Central government accusing it of making an attempt to privatise Bokaro Steel Plant. He then took a noon break at Zaika Restaurant. He will make the night halt in Ramgarh district on Sunday.
On the other hand, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for converting the public sector units into friends sector by selling it to his close industrialists.
He also accused Mr.Modi of engaging in the divide and rule like Britishers. Mr. Kumar accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of destabilizing the Jharkhand government.