A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut urged NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to take the lead in merging smaller parties that had split from the Congress back into the party, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot backed the suggestion, saying that such parties should “reunite with the Congress and wholeheartedly accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader”.In a post on X, the former Rajasthan Chief Minister said he fully supported Raut’s suggestion and believed the time had come for political forces with Congress roots to come together once again and save democracy.“The time has come. Now the fight is to save democracy. When we are all in the battlefield fighting to save democracy, what Sanjay Raut has said has merit, and I support it,” Gehlot said.According to Gehlot, a united opposition under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership would send a strong message across the country and could significantly influence voter sentiment. “There should be a message across the entire country that the leader of the INDIA alliance is Rahul Gandhi. The people should clearly see that on one side is Narendra Modi and on the other side is Rahul Gandhi. If there is a clear-cut message that all political parties have together accepted Rahul Gandhi as their leader, then you will see that the voting pattern in the country will change,” he said.Gehlot emphasised that his appeal did not extend to parties that were established independently and did not emerge from Congress splits. He specifically mentioned parties such as Shiv Sena, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India, stating that they had always maintained separate political identities.He also pointed out that the Samajwadi Party was formed independently and “we have no complaint against them”.Gehlot said, “I believe that democracy in this country is in great danger, in great danger, in great danger”.While emphasising that why he repeatedly speaks to the younger generation, Gehlot called on students and young citizens to engage actively in politics based on ideology and national interest.“Understand everyone’s ideology, and whichever one you find good and in the national interest, join that party. We have no objection. But at least come and get involved,” he said.”All regional parties that separated from Congress should rejoin and wholeheartedly accept Sh. @RahulGandhi as their leader.”I believe that what Sanjay Raut has said has merit. The time has come. Now the fight is to save democracy. When we are all in the battlefield fighting to… pic.twitter.com/8fDy8zevEc— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) June 12, 2026Following meetings between Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, as well as between Abhishek Banerjee and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, reports began circulating about the possibility of a merger between the two parties.The TMC has been witnessing mass exodus since its crushing defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.