Congress is a shield, remove it and you lose: Imran Masood on SP alliance
Congress leader Imran Masood, recently appointed as the party's working president in Uttar Pradesh, said in an exclusive interview with CNN-News18 that Congress functions as a political shield for the opposition alliance. Masood stated that removing Congress from the alliance would weaken it, emphasizing that Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav would need to "show a big heart" for the partnership to succeed.
Masood underscored that the Congress-SP alliance has viability only if finalized by October. He noted that in the last election, had the SP and Congress coordinated, results would have been different. The Saharanpur MP's appointment as working president triggered sharp political reactions, with the BJP calling it an attempt at Muslim appeasement and a message to the SP, with which Masood has clashed on several recent occasions. Masood denied any rift with the INDIA bloc alliance partner, stating "There is no rift" and asserting that the BJP should not concern itself with Congress-SP relations.
Masood's remarks underscore Congress's efforts to strengthen ties with regional parties ahead of upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. His comments highlight the party's push for a formalized alliance structure with the SP to consolidate opposition strength in the state.
