If ideology is same, why remain separate? Tharoor on merger of smaller parties into Congress

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday appeared amenable to views expressed in certain sections on the potential merger of smaller parties into the Grand Old Party.

"As far as smaller parties aligning or merging with Congress is concerned, I feel if the ideology is the same then what is the need to be separate? Let's see what happens," Tharoor said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai.

Notably, veteran politician Sharad Pawar has predicted that in the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with the Congress, or even merge with it. He spoke about the future political landscape during an interview with The Indian Express.

Tharoor described as 'meaningless' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray wherein he has asked them to join Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, respectively.

He also exuded confidence that parties that have not joined the Opposition alliance so far will do so after the results of the Lok Sabha elections are declared.

Addressing a poll campaign rally on Friday, Modi advised the NCP (SP) led by Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray to join hands with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, instead of “dying by merging” with the Congress.

Shinde and Ajit Pawar had split their respective parties in 2022 and 2023.

Sharad Pawar immediately hit back at the prime minister, saying he won't ally with those who do not believe in the parliamentary democracy which is under threat because of Modi.