Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu met leaders from various opposition parties here on Thursday and initiated discussions to draft a “common programme” against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2019 general elections. Naidu said that focus will be to protect democracy and democratic institutions, and every leader that he met has agreed, in principle, for a common programme against the BJP.

Naidu met Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad pawar, National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh, and discussed an “action plan” for 2019.

“I wanted to meet everybody who is against the BJP and convince them about the need of unity to save democracy and the nation,” Naidu told reporters. He said the CBI has been completely destroyed by the Centre and the Deputy Governor of the RBI had to warn that the Centre should not interfere with the independence of the central bank.

“Economy is in doldrums. Demonetisation has become a futile exercise. Rupee is down and its cascading effect is on the prices of petroleum products,” he said.

He said the Opposition will have to work together. “We will have to chart a programme. ” he added. When asked why he met his bête noire, the Congress, he said it was due to “democratic compulsion.” “Whenever there is a need, Telugu Desam Party has provided an alternative at national level,” he said.

After the meeting with Naidu, Gandhi told reporters that opposition parties will work together on issues such as 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 aggressively. ,” said Gandhi.

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