Congress on Wednesday hit back at the BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma as he mocked the formation of the opposition alliance under a new banner, and said if he has a surplus of sour grapes since his 'mentor' Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Skill India, Startup India and also asked chief ministers of different states to work together as team India.
Taking a jibe at Sarma, Congress General Secretary communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh said, "Is the Assam CM having a surplus of sour grapes in his mouth? His new mentor, Modi, gave us Skill India, Start-up India and Digital India - all new names for ongoing programmes. He's asked CMs of different states to work together as 'Team India'. He even made an appeal to Vote India."
"But when 26 political parties call their formation INDIA (Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance), he throws a fit and says use of India reflects 'colonial mentality'. He should go tell that to his Boss," Ramesh, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP said.
His remarks came a day after Sarma took a dig at Opposition parties after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the new name of the Bloc is Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India).
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Sarma wrote: "Our civilisational conflict is pivoted around India and Bharat.The British named our country as India. We must strive to free ourselves from colonial legacies. Our forefathers fought for Bharat, and we will continue to work for Bharat."
He further wrote: "BJP for BHARAT."
On Tuesday, Mallikarjun Kharge, told reporters in Bengaluru, "We'll fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together, and win. The alliance's first success is that everyone has agreed on the name. 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance – INDIA' is the name we have given it."
The opposition parties held the second crucial meeting in Karnataka's Bengaluru to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
According to party sources, Kharge during his address to the leaders in the meeting also indicated that his party was not interested in bagging the Prime Minister's chair after the next elections, and was ready to fight, along with its allies, to protect the idea of India, the Constitution, secularism, and democracy.
"Our intention is not to assume power for ourselves. It is to protect our Constitution, democracy, secularism and social justice," Kharge said at the beginning of the meeting.
