Odisha Congress gets support of 11 parties in ‘save democracy’ campaign

As Odishas ruling BJD maintained a distance from the issue of Congress leader Rahul Gandhis disqualification from Lok Sabha, at least 11 other parties on Monday resolved to fight the BJP, accusing it of murdering democracy by silencing opposition leaders.

As Odisha’s ruling BJD maintained a distance from the issue of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha, at least 11 other parties on Monday resolved to fight the BJP, accusing it of “murdering democracy” by silencing opposition leaders. These parties which included the Left, Samajwadi Party, RJD and the AAP supported the Congress and pledged to support its “save democracy” campaign in Odisha. At a meeting chaired by state Congress president Sarat Pattnayak, these parties decided to hold at least five major rallies across the state to highlight the alleged anti-democratic activities of the BJP. The parties will launch the campaign from April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the state Congress said in a statement.

A delegation of the 12 parties also met Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and submitted a memorandum in which they expressed concern over the “murder of democracy” and alleged attempts to silence the opposition voice across the country. ''Rahul Gandhi had said something in an election meeting in Karnataka and a case was filed against him in Gujarat. This was done to frame Rahul Gandhi and shut his mouth,'' Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra.

Party whip Taraprasad Bahinipati claimed that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik prefers to maintain silence on the issue fearing CBI and ED raids in the chit fund and mining scams in which BJD leaders are allegedly involved. Reacting to the accusation, senior BJD leader and minister Pramila Mallick said as Gandhi has been convicted in a defamation case by a court, there is no point for the party to make comments on the issue.