Press Briefing Wednesday, 15 July 2009

Dr. Shakeel Ahmed addressed the media today.



Dr. Shakeel Ahmed said that he would like to draw the attention of the media to the recent development of the BJP and the Shiv Sena declaring that they would fight the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections together. Not just this, they also declared that they would have a joint campaign and joint manifesto. Dr. Shakeel Ahmed further said that considering the fact that the BJP calls itself a national party on one hand and on the other hand, knowing the Shiv Sena’s rabid attitude towards “outsiders” and its origin as a movement against “South Indians”, the BJP’s decision to ally with a party like the Shiv Sena dilutes their stand of being a national party. He said that the BJP should explain to the country whether they are okay with allying with such a party.

Dr. Shakeel Ahmed said that the “anti-Marathi sentiment” of the Shiv Sena and its competitors like MNS seems to be rubbing of on the BJP too. The BJP has removed Narendra Modi who was Maharashtra election in-charge during the Lok Sabha polls and it has appointed Gopinath Munde instead he said.

To a question on the alliance with NCP, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed said that today the situation is that there is an alliance with the NCP in Maharashtra. The NCP are partners with the Congress party in the Maharashtra government and the UPA government he added.

To a question on seat sharing, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed said that whenever there is more than one party in an alliance, it is natural for the parties concerned to expect the maximum number of seats for itself. But when the parties come to a negotiating table the parties discuss their strong and weak points and then take a decision which is in the mutual interest. He said that in the case of the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly elections too he expected that such a procedure would be followed.

To a question on the low rainfall across India and the government’s stance, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed said that he was not addressing this Press conference as the representative of the government of India but as far as the Congress party was concerned it was too early to comment on the drought like situation. He said that the government of India would assess the situation after the month of July and then make its announcement.

To a question, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed said that earlier the Shiv Sena was running an “anti South Indian” movement and the BJP had no presence there so it had nothing to lose to be in an alliance with the Shiv Sena. But today the BJP has a government in Karnataka but still they choose to ally with a party like the Shiv Sena which targets “non- Marathi people” and this undermines there stance of being a national party.

To a question on the AICC session and reshuffle, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed said that no decision had been taken in this regard but once the Congress President and CWC takes a decision on this front it would be conveyed.

 

(Tom Vadakkan)

Secretary, AICC