Those joining us will have to snap ties with BJP: Congress

Congress said that those who want to come with it have to snap ties with BJP.

Congress on Saturday sought to raise the comfort level of its allies angry over Rahul Gandhi’s wooing of their rival parties like JD-U by declaring that those who want to come with it have to snap ties with BJP.

Party Media Department Chairman Janardan Dwivedi also dismissed that the AICC has given any certificate to N Chandra Babu Naidu’s TDP and ruled out snapping of ties with DMK and other allies.

“Those who have to come to us will have to leave BJP…If they are with BJP and Shiv Sena,we cannot call them secular.. we cannot call them secular unless they leave NDA,” Dwivedi said,virtually setting the ground rules for those who wanted to hitch their wagons to UPA.

Story continues below this ad

Dwivedi’s refrain was “let the results be out. Only then,it will be clear who is with whom. Only at that time,it will be clear who is secular and who is not.”

Playing the secular card to the hilt,the Congress leader said those parties which are secular will indeed support Congress in forming a government.

When pointed out that the CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat,spearheading the Third Front initiative,has remarked that his party would take a decision on the issue of support to Congress after the results are out,Dwivedi remarked,”may God give him more good sense.”

Dwivedi also cited the example of Trinamool Congress,which had earlier aligned with NDA but chose to leave them and contested this election in alliance with Congress and said,”Congress believes in the change of heart.”

Story continues below this ad

He dismissed as a “philosophical statement” party general secretary Digvijay Singh’s remarks that Congress was ready to sit in the opposition.

“We have never left any ally and we will never leave any ally,” he said giving clear signals to UPA partners that Congress will not dump them while acquiring new friends.

Asked about party spokesman Ashwani Kumar’s statement terming TDP,AIADMK and JD-U as secular parties,Dwivedi pointed that TDP had done business with BJP for five years and added,”we are not ready to give TDP a clean chit.”

As regards JD-U,Dwivedi said it was part of the BJP led NDA and on AIADMK,he made it clear that Congress would not dump DMK,which is a known detractor of the AIADMK and currently an ally of the Congress.

Story continues below this ad

He,however,maintained,”some times parties go to the wrong side and we believe in the change of heart.” He declined to say anything about what President Pratibha Patil should do after the results are out.