Patel mocks BJP leaders for 'fearing' opposition unity after mega rally

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel took a broad swipe at the BJP on Monday, saying the ruling party leaders used to claim that they would remain in power for 50 years but now they "fear" if they lose the 2019 general election, they might not return to power for 200 years. His remark appeared to be in reference to BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad's statement quoting his party chief Amit Shah projecting at the Bharatiya Janata Party national executive in September that the BJP will rule the country for 50 years.

"With the evolution of Opposition Unity, their body language has changed. Fear is visible. Earlier they used to say that BJP will remain in power for 50 years. Now they are saying if they lose they won't come back in power for 200 years," Patel said on Twitter. The statement came two days after leaders of more than 20 opposition parties, including the Congress, gathered in Kolkata at a massive rally to project unity and vowed to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power in coming Lok Sabha polls.

Patel said the coming together of opposition parties is guided by a "common objective" to defend and protect the Constitution. "Only those who have undermined and tried to sabotage the Constitution seem to be extremely perturbed by Opposition unity," the Congress leader added.

But at the rally on Saturday, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge apparently hinted at differences within the Opposition grouping. He recited a couplet in Hindi saying that the hands of opposition leaders should meet even if their hearts don't. The BJP has described the rally as a gathering of "opportunist elements" with the sole agenda of removing Modi without any roadmap for the country's future.

(With inputs from agencies.)