'INDIA' bloc came together to fight “communal forces”: Tejashwi Yadav

NEW DELHI: Ahead of ‘INDIA’ alliance’s third strategy meeting in Mumbai, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, whose party is part of the grand opposition alliance, has said they came together in what he said is to fight communal forces in the country. Speaking to ANI in Mumbai, Tejashwi Yadav said, “We (Opposition parties) have come together to fight against communal forces. We united to fight those forces who are putting threat to constitution and democracy.”

As the battle heats up for next year's Lok Sabha elections, the 26-party Opposition bloc — INDIA — will on Thursday hold its third meeting in Mumbai, picking up from where they left off in their last huddle at Bengaluru and carrying forward the process of laying a broader roadmap against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

India alliance, according to Tejashwi Yadav, was the demand of the people. He was also asked who will be the PM face of the ‘India’ alliance. He said, “Everyone knows what is the process of electing a Prime Minister in our country. I can assure India alliance PM face will be more honest than Modi ji, and will be more loyal to its people.” Further, asked what would be agenda in the Opposition bloc’s Mumbai meeting, Tejashwi Yadav without revealing much said they would discuss the upcoming elections and seat sharing, among other things.

RJd leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha elaborated on agenda for the two day alliance meeting in Mumbai "After the meeting in Mumbai, we will have a solid foundation and a roadmap, and we will be able to say that we are bringing this country back on track... Every party wants to see their leader at the top (PM post) but everyone should wait for the outcome of the united meeting" Tejashwi Yadav also took on the central government on its decision to lower LPG prices “It is like making countrymen fool” and the people knew that it was a “political stunt” ahead of polls.

On Tuesday, the Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a Rs 200 reduction in domestic cooking gas prices. In Delhi for instance, the decision had brought down the cost of a 14.2 kg cylinder from the existing Rs 1,103 per cylinder to Rs 903.

This across-the-board reduction is in addition to the existing targeted subsidy of Rs 200 per cylinder to Ujjwala households, which will continue. Therefore, the effective price in Delhi for Ujjwala beneficiaries after this reduction will be Rs 703.