Raipur, Feb 25 (IANS): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said it's time to reach out to like-minded parties which are opposed to BJP and form a UPA-like alliance.

While delivering his presidential address at the ongoing 85th Congress plenary, Kharge said, "The Congress is ready to take along all the parties which are opposed to BJP".

He said in the past, many political parties were with the UPA and Manmohan Singh led the government honestly. However, there was a big conspiracy against the government.

This comes as a message to the parties which were part of the UPA government but are now unwilling to give Congress a lead role in the alliance now.

The Congress is trying to strike a balance between the political parties which are opposed to the idea of Congress leading the alliance.

Asserting that the BJP will not attain a majority, Kharge said: "Congress will lead, and we will get the majority. We will follow the Constitution and democracy."

The Congress is likely to set up an alliance committee to reach out to other opposition parties, and this could be discussed during the party's plenary session in Raipur.

Sources have said that the Congress wants to build up a national alliance, but with the precondition of leading it. There are many like-minded parties who have no problem with Congress being the leading party in the alliance, but leaders like Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, Trinamool Congress with Aam Aadmi Party are towing a different line.