The upcoming meeting of INDIA opposition bloc, scheduled to take place in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1, would "give a new direction to the country", said Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole on Wednesday after attending the party's core committee meeting at MCA Club in Bandra. The party held the Wednesday meeting to review preparations — the third in the series after the earlier ones in Patna and Bengaluru — ahead of the crucial INDIA bloc meeting. Addressing the media, Patole said that the "Congress plans to uproot the BJP government at Centre and bring the grand old party to power". Commenting on speculations that Sharad Pawar might join the BJP, following a meeting between the NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Pune on Saturday, Patole said he believed that Sharad Pawar would be with the INDIA alliance only, and the senior Pawar has clarified his stand by stating the same. Patole also said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has spoken to Sharad Pawar, and the party high command will talk to the NCP chief during the INDIA bloc meeting in case of arising concerns. "There is no confusion within the Congress regarding Sharad Pawar. but among the people. Sharad Pawar is a big leader, he is capable of taking decisions for his party. He, meanwhile, has made his stand clear on the meeting between Ajit and him last week; and that he will stay with the INDIA alliance. The Congress high command is taking stock of all these situations, and will discuss the same with Sharad Pawar at the upcoming INDIA meeting in Mumbai," he said. Two representatives of Kharge also attended the MPCC core committee meeting on Wednesday. "Preparations for the upcoming crucial meeting were discussed, sending an important message to the country. The upcoming meeting of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai will give a new direction to the country," said Patole, adding that the state Congress's 'Padayatra' will start in the state from September 3, the outline for which has been decided. "The reports submitted by 48 observers from each Lok Sabha constituency after touring were also discussed in the (Wednesday) meeting." "Our plan is to uproot the BJP government at the Centre as well as in the state, and bring Congress to power. Maharashtra is a state of Congress ideology. If the Congress and allied parties fight the Lok Sabha elections together, they could win 40-45 seats in the state. Congress is preparing for that. The Congress will fight against the BJP strongly with the parties that come along. Farmer and youth suicide cases have been increasing, unemployment has increased. there are no jobs. businesses are non-functional, 218 youths have died by suicide in Pune. There are similar situations in other parts of the state, but the BJP's tendency is to cling to power. power should remain, even if people die.," he concluded.
