Mandate rebukes BJP, INDIA bloc will continue its fight against 'fascist rule': Kharge

“This is a mandate in defence of the Constitution of India, and against price rise, unemployment and crony capitalism and also to save democracy’

- SIMONTINI BHATTACHARJEE

• INDIA BLOC TO TAKE 'RIGHT STEP AT RIGHT TIME'

The Opposition INDIA bloc, for the time being, will sit in the Opposition in the 18th Lok Sabha, but the grouping will take appropriate steps at the appropriate time to realise the people’s desire not to be ruled by the BJP, said Congress chief Mallikarjn Kharge on Wednesday.

After the Opposition alliance’s first meeting that went on for nearly two hours after the Lok Sabha poll results, which was seen as the alliance keeping its options open and not staking claim at government formation for now, he said the Opposition leaders resolved to continue their fight against the “fascist rule” of the BJP led by Narendra Modi even as they thanked the people for their overwhelming support to the INDIA bloc.

“We will take appropriate steps at the appropriate time to realise people’s desire not to be ruled by the BJP’s government,” Kharge said while reading out a statement adopted by all the alliance constituents after the deliberations at his residence.

Kharge, flanked by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP (SCP) president Sharad Pawar, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and other leaders of the INDIA bloc, said the decision has been taken by all constituents of the INDIA bloc in one voice.