Democracy in danger, says Abdullah at meet with Pawar, Naidu

New Delhi, Nov. 1 (IANS): Accusing the BJP of attacking Constitutional institutions, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday that “democracy is in danger” as he met NCP leader Sharad Pawar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
“Democracy is in danger. People are in danger,” he told the media, as he announced that he along with Naidu and Pawar would convene a meeting of opposition parties to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The country was going through a “great crisis”, he added at Pawar’s residence. Naidu said the country was facing a lot of problems and the situation was “deteriorating day by day”. He said they wanted to discuss the issues with leaders of other political parties including Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

The Telugu Desam Party leader said they were not coming together out of any greed for power.
Pawar said that institutions were being attacked. If “we work collectively to save democracy, we can save the institutions”, he said. “We will call a meeting of (opposition) leaders and discuss specific programmes,” he said.

During his visit to Delhi last week, Naidu met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, BSP leader Mayawati, Loktrantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav, former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha and CPI leaders D. Raja and S.

Sudhakar Reddy apart from Abdullah. The meetings are seen as part of efforts to bring together the opposition against the BJP-led alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Will work together to defeat BJP — Rahul after meeting TDP chief Naidu
Opposition parties will work together to defeat the BJP, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday in the presence of TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The parties will work to ensure that the attack on democratic institutions stops, Gandhi said after meeting Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties to take on the saffron party in the Lok Sabha elections next year. Gandhi said opposition parties will work together on most important issues, including unemployment and corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

“It is very clear that corruption is taking place. Institutions that can investigate are being attacked… A proper inquiry on what all happened, where the money went and who did corruption… that is what I am pushing very aggressively. Nation wants to know this,” the Congress president said. Naidu said he was in discussion with all political parties.