RAIPUR: Congress Plenary Session 2023 - The Congress in its political resolution on February 25 stressed the need for national-level alliance saying that the emergence of third-force will give advantage to the BJP.

As per resolution, "Unity of secular forces will be the hallmark of the future of the Congress party." It said that the party will go out identify, mobilise, and align  with like-minded secular parties.

"Secular regional forces that support our philosophy should be included. A united opposition is urgently needed to challenge the NDA on shared ideological grounds." In its resolution, the Cons stated, "Emergence of any third force will bring advantage to the BJP/NDA," underscoring the threat of a third force that certain parties are attempting.

Earlier, Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress, emphasized the necessity for cooperation in his presidential address, saying it was necessary to resurrect a UPA-like alliance to combat the BJP at the Centre.

The Congress is prepared to bring along all the oppositional parties, according to Kharge. He said that various political parties had previously sided with the UPA. Manmohan Singh led the government honestly while Sonia Gandhi oversaw the alliance. Yet, there was a substantial plot against the administration.

The parties that have collaborated with Congress while they have been a part of the UPA government are the ones who have made their opposition to giving Congress a leading position in the alliance apparent.

Last week, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar mentioned at an event that he was ready to forge greater Opposition unity and was “waiting for the Congress’s signal”.  Party leaders said a possible Opposition alliance, which was prominently talked over in Pachmarhiand Shimla conclaves of the party in 1998 and 2003, respectively -- that  will be a key agenda in this plenary. 

Last week, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal asserted that the party had a clear-cut initiative to reduce the BJP’s electoral footprint and forge a wider alliance.

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