Congress Must Be "Fulcrum Of Any Alliance" Against BJP: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that no opposition alliance is relevant without Congress as the party is the fulcrum of any opposition alliance to defeat BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

"Any opposition platform to defeat the BJP must be based on two realities. One, Congress must be the fulcrum of any opposition alliance. Without Congress, no opposition alliance is relevant or meaningful," he said.

"Two, any opposition alliance must be based on a constructive agenda, not just a negative agenda of anti-BJPism or anti-governmentism. It has to be based on a positive, constructive agenda. Now, we'll begin the process of talking to different political parties," he added.

Mr Ramesh during the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Pulwama stated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are seeking peaceful and democratic life.

While speaking to ANI, Mr Ramesh said, "Lot of hope for peaceful and democratic life is visible in the hearts of the people of Kashmir, they want elections to take place and also that their demands should be met."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the January 27 "security lapse" incident of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and sought his personal intervention in ensuring adequate security to the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Kharge's letter comes after the Congress' footmarch was suspended for the day with the party claiming that it was done on the advice of the officials in charge of the security of Rahul Gandhi.

"We are expecting a huge gathering to join the yatra over the next two days and also the function that will be held on January 30 at Srinagar. Many senior Congress leaders and leaders of other important political parties are attending the culmination functions to be held on January 30," said Mr Kharge in his letter.

"I shall be grateful if you could personally intervene in this matter and advise the concerned officials to provide adequate security till the culmination of the yatra and the function on the 30th January at Srinagar," the Congress president said in his letter to Shah.

He also appreciated the statement of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which said that they will continue to provide complete security till the culmination of the yatra.

Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a press conference on Friday said that the security arrangement had "completely collapsed" during the Yatra on Friday morning.

"This morning during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, unfortunately, the police arrangement completely collapsed and the police who were supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen. My security people were very uncomfortable with me walking further on the yatra so I had to cancel my walk. Other yatris did the walk," said Rahul Gandhi while addressing a press conference.

Further speaking on security issues, Mr Gandhi said, "I think it is important the police manages the crowd so that we can do the yatra. It's very difficult for me to go against what my security people are recommending."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)