New Delhi | Amid strains in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance over Rahul Gandhi's strident criticism of V D Savarkar, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has stepped in to play the peacemaker by conveying Shiv Sena's concerns on the issue to the Congress leadership.
Opposition leaders said Congress has agreed to tone down its criticism of Savarkar, which has led to an unease in the NCP and the Shiv Sena (UBT), its alliance partners in Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said he had raised the Savarkar issue in his talks with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi and MVA partners are on the same page on this matter.
"MVA alliance is intact. If anyone thinks the MVA will break apart, they are wrong," Raut told reporters here.
Gandhi is learnt to have assured Raut he would avoid any critical reference to Savarkar.
Pawar raised the issue during a meeting of opposition leaders convened by Kharge on Monday and made it clear that targeting Savarkar, a revered figure in Maharashtra, would not help MVA, two leaders who attended the meeting told PTI.
Former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were present at the meeting.
"Almost all opposition leaders were of the view that there was no need to rake up the Savarkar issue. We have to decide whether we have to fight Modi or Savarkar and not create confusion," Raut said after a meeting of parliamentarians owing allegiance to the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena.
Pawar also told Rahul Gandhi that Savarkar was never a member of the RSS and underscored that the real fight of the opposition parties was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP.
Opposition leaders said Rahul told the meeting that the Savarkar issue was an ideological position.
Leaders of Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi also reached out to the Thackeray faction Shiv Sena.
As the BJP stepped up attack on Rahul Gandhi and sought his apology for "maligning" India on his recent visit to the UK, the former Lok Sabha member from Wayanad said at a press conference on Saturday that he was not Savarkar and would not apologise.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed Rahul Gandhi for his attack on Savarkar and said his outfit will not tolerate any insult of the freedom fighter.
The Thackeray faction had skipped the meeting convened by Kharge as a mark of protest against Gandhi's remarks targeting Savarkar.
New Delhi | The Congress is set to convene a meeting of top opposition leaders in April after some organisations urged the grand old party to take the lead in strengthening unity among anti-BJP forces.
The meeting would take forward the bonhomie displayed by several opposition parties during the budget session of Parliament and it would be expanded outside too.
Congress sources said the proposal for this meeting was made at the meeting of opposition leaders convened by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence on Monday evening.
Some leaders, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK leader T R Baalu, JDU's Lallan Singh and a CPI-M leader, called upon the Congress leadership to convene a meeting of party's national presidents and top leaders to chalk out a blueprint for the 2024 general elections, sources said.
A total of 19 opposition parties are now united on the issue of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha after his conviction and two-year sentence in a defamation case by a Surat court.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said while 18 opposition parties attended the dinner meeting called by Kharge, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction skipped the meeting over Rahul Gandhi's anti-Savarkar comments.
He claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) is now on board after its leader Sanjay Raut met and spoke to Rahul Gandhi and sorted out the issue over V D Savarkar.
Sources said Rahul Gandhi reportedly told Raut that they have their own views and the Congress has its own as well as ideology.
But, the immediate need is of opposition unity and the need to remain united in its fight against the BJP, Gandhi reportedly said, adding that every one should support each other.
Sources said during the meeting at Kharge's residence, Rahul Gandhi made it clear that all parties need to make sacrifices, the Congress will also make any sacrifice and he himself is ready to make any such sacrifice required to ensure opposition unity.
Opposition parties have displayed bomhomie during the budget session of Parliament when they remained together in their fight against the BJP and met everyday to ensure better coordination in both houses.
Rahul Gandhi's disqualification has brought together even those parties like the Trinamool Congress, BRS and AAP, which had remained equidistant from the Congress so far. This, the sources said, has helped boost opposition unity and paved the way for a strong and united opposition ahead of 2024 general elections.
