New Delhi, April 27 (PTI): Senior Congress leader A K Antony on Wednesday said the grand old party should not be underestimated and a change of guard at the Centre is not possible without it playing a central role.
Talking to reporters here, the former defence minister said the role of the Nehru-Gandhi family is vital for the Congress as it is the powerhouse and the guiding force of the party. Without the family, the Congress would not be acceptable to 99 per cent of its workers across the country, he added.
Exuding confidence over the party's prospects in the 2024 general election, Antony said the Congress is putting together a roadmap for strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level and "it will come back".
"Do not underestimate the Congress. It will come back. Without the Congress's role, you cannot think of a change of guard in Delhi," Antony, who is also the chairman of the party's disciplinary committee, said.
Asked about the current state of affairs in the wake of communal violence in Delhi and elsewhere, he said the situation is bad and painful.
"Today's scenario is very very painful. India is the only country where all religions, all castes and creeds, different languages flourish. The main strength of India is its unity in diversity. A concerted effort to bring about uniformity in every field is dangerous for the country. We must maintain and safeguard India's unity in diversity at all costs," the veteran leader said.
Antony, who is shifting his residence to Kerala from Delhi and quitting national politics, was interacting with reporters at his house here.
Asked about the prospects of the Congress, he asserted that the party will stage a strong comeback in the 2024 election for which a plan is being put in place after deliberations and brainstorming at the "Chintan Shivir" in Rajasthan's Udaipur.
Antony said he would not be able to attend the shivir due to his health as he has been advised rest by doctors after he contracted COVID-19 twice and is still feeling its after-effects.
The veteran Congress leader pointed out that the party lost in entire north India in the 1977 general election and even the then prime minister Indira Gandhi had to face poll defeat, but it came back to power soon.
He said there cannot be any serious credible effort of the Opposition to replace the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre without the Congress playing a central role.
"If you are sincere to bring about a change at the Centre in 2024, you will have to accept the Congress in the leading role of any alliance and go with it. It is the only national party other than the BJP with its presence across the country. By avoiding the Congress, you cannot bring about any change," the former Kerala chief minister said.
Talking about the role of the Gandhi family, he said, "Without the Nehru-Gandhi family, there cannot be any Congress. They are the powerhouse and the guiding force of the Congress and they represent the ideals of the Congress. Without them, there is no Congress. Unless they are in the leading role, the Congress will not be acceptable to 99 per cent of its workers across the country."
Antony said he respects the regional parties but unless a national party like the Congress takes the lead, the BJP cannot be replaced at the Centre.
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from news agency feeds and has not been edited by The Morung Express.
Source: PTI
