Can ally with parties that are ready to cooperate with Cong: AK Antony

Senior Congress leader AK Antony on Friday, while acknowledging the need for joining hands with other factions, said the Congress can ally with those political outfits that are ready to cooperate with his party.

Addressing Kerala Congress leaders at a meeting here, Antony said that a decision would be taken by the last week of February on the Congress' candidates for the coming Lok Sabha polls.

"Rahul Gandhi has grown step by step through his experience. He is not the same as he was previously. He now has the strength to lead India. We can form alliances with parties who are ready to cooperate with the Congress," he said.

"Rahul Gandhi wished to bring timely changes. One thing among this is the timely declaration of candidates. This time, before the end of February, the Congress plans to declare its candidates. We have to make timely changes," said Antony, also India's former Defence Minister.

Likening 2019 to the year of "Kurukshetra" war, Antony said the only objective for the coming polls is to protect the Constitutional value. "In the last election, people were misled by showering promises and firing religious sentiments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's rule is the RSS rule. Modi was the greatest actor at the time of the last election. In 2019 election, Narendra Modi rule should be ended. That is our ultimate aim," he claimed.

Furthermore, Antony claimed that Rahul was an opponent, feared by Prime Minister Modi.

"If this RSS-controlled government comes to power again, it would be the Constitution of India which is going to be destroyed first. The government is destroying Constitutional institutions one by one. In many institutions, RSS nominees have entered now. This election is to protect the Constitutional rights of individuals, society, groups and the backward sections of the society," he added.