Opposition says will consolidate unity in months ahead

Choosing Yashwant Sinha as its common candidate, Opposition parties on Tuesday said they will take forward the "unity" they forged for the Presidential election in a spirit of "equality, common commitments and consensus-building".

In a joint statement, the parties said that the country is passing through “difficult times” and the BJP government at the Centre has failed totally in fulfilling its promises and commitments.

“Furthermore, it is misusing ED, CBI, Election Commission, Governor’s office and other institutions as weapons against Opposition parties and state governments run by them,” it said.

“Therefore, we assure the people of India that the unity of the Opposition parties, which has been forged for the Presidential Election in a spirit of equality, common commitments and consensus-building through dialogue, will be further consolidated in the months ahead,” the parties said.

In his long and distinguished career in public life, it said, Sinha has served the nation in various capacities – as an able administrator, accomplished parliamentarian and acclaimed Union Minister of Finance and External Affairs.

“He is eminently qualified to uphold the secular and democratic character of the Indian Republic and its Constitutional values,” it said.