Opposition parties will get together to form next govt, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said regional parties such as the SP, BSP and TDP will not support the BJP and indicated that opposition parties will get together to form the next government.

Gandhi also said he will not pre-judge the verdict of the people and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having lost the opportunity given by the people to take the country forward.

Refusing to spell out the opposition's strategy ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results on May 23, Gandhi told a press conference that unlike Modi, the Congress will take the experience of veterans such as UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

He was also asked what role Sonia Gandhi will play in bringing together opposition parties together to form the next government.

"I am not gong to pre-judge what the people of India will decide. The mood and vision of the people will come out on May 23," he said.

Gandhi said his party's strategy was to "systematically close down every door to stop Narendra Modi from escaping." "We closed 90 per cent of the doors (for Modi), he closed 10 per cent for himself by abusing opponents," the Congress chief said.

He also mocked the prime minister for holding his first press conference just days before polling ends.

BJP chief Amit Shah and Modi held a press conference at the party headquarters at the same time when Gandhi addressed the media at the Congress head office.

"Why did the prime minister not accept my challenge for a debate on the Rafale issue," asked Gandhi.

Answering a question, he asserted that the philosophy of Shah and Modi cannot be the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi also said the Election Commission's role in these polls has been "biased" and it has issued orders keeping in mind Modi's schedule.