Baghdad, March 27: Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said today his secular political alliance is open to bringing any of his rivals into a governing coalition that can restore Iraq’s place in the Arab and Muslim world.
Allawi’s Iraqiya bloc came out the top vote-getter in March 7 parliamentary elections, according to full results released yesterday, edging out his chief rival, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who refused to accept the results and said he will challenge them.
“The Iraqi people have blessed the Iraqiya bloc by choosing it,” Allawi told a packed news conference Saturday at his headquarters. “We are open to all powers starting with the State of Law bloc of brother Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
–PTI