‘Own problem of Congress’: SP on Ajay Rai’s ‘Banyan tree’ remark

New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) spokesperson Udaiveer Singh said on Wednesday that Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai comparing the grand old party to that of “Banyan tree” which can provide “shade” to its regional allies, is his own opinion and Congress’ “own problem”.

During a previous interaction with IANS, Ajay Rai had said: “Congress is a banyan tree. No one will be able to uproot it, nor will anyone be able to weaken it. I would only like to say that regional parties should work together with Congress, and it is that banyan tree which can provide shade to everyone.”

Talking to IANS, Udaiveer Singh said: “Whatever Ajay Rai is saying is his own opinion and this is the Congress’ own problem.”

“Samajwadi Party is a part of the INDIA bloc where the leaders who meet are all senior to UP Congress President Ajay Rai. Those leaders are also senior to our state party presidents,” he added.

The SP leader also said that whatever discussion took place among the senior leaders during the INDIA bloc meeting is important and future decisions will be based on that.

He clarified that the Samajwadi Party is an integral part of the INDIA bloc.

“Everybody has to accept the decisions taken by the central leadership of both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. Unnecessary remarks should be avoided, even from our side,” Udaiveer Singh asserted.

However, the DMK stayed away from the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday amid deteriorating relations with the Congress after the latter had broken up with the MK Stalin-led party to support Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the Tamil Nadu government formation, the TVK was not invited to the meeting because it currently has no representation in either House of the Parliament.

Though the CPI-M and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) were represented at Monday’s meeting, their rifts with the Congress were out in the open just before the INDIA bloc leaders met.

While the Left party had asked Congress to “clear the air” regarding its “deal with the BJP” remarks during the Kerala poll campaign, differences within Jharkhand’s ruling JMM alliance had come to the fore over the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, with the JMM and the Congress at odds over seat-sharing. However, the situation was subsequently resolved.

–IANS

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