Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that the Narendra Modi government has unleashed a “super emergency” on the country and she would do everything in her power to unite all the anti-BJP forces to defeat the saffron party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
The Trinamool Congress chief also met senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel to discuss the formation of a federal front. "A beginning has to be made. She (Banerjee) was very happy. She said the leadership should not be discussed, the idea is to have a formidable alternative to bring in a change in the government at the Centre. There will be a series of meetings," Patel said.
Patel said that Banerjee had also spoken to Sharad Pawar over the phone and confirmed her presence for a meeting of opposition parties on March 27-28. “Other senior political leaders would also meet to chalk out a future programme as regards how the shape of national politics would evolve in the coming days,” he said.
Banerjee also addressed a meeting of the TMC's extended core committee, where she said "someone has to bell the cat." "We want everybody to come together to fight against the BJP. We will help them in all possible ways."
Stating that she was not for power, nor any chair, the TMC chief said, "I will be helping everyone. I will coordinate with all the anti-BJP parties, so that they can work together. This is a big fight.”
“A super emergency is going on in the country under the (Narendra) Modi government. The TMC is not scared of anyone. We cannot be intimidated and will show the way to the country. It was from Bengal that renaissance had started."
Stating that if the BJP targets Bengal, her party would target the Red Fort in 2019, Banerjee said, "I will ask them (BJP) to manage Delhi first and then think about Bengal."
Pointing out that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had pulled out its ministers from the Modi government, she said, "The Shiv Sena is saying it will go on its own. They (BJP) have somehow managed to retain Gujarat."
Alleging that the saffron party might try to disturb peace in Bengal, the chief minister exhorted the party workers to be alert. She even asked them to take along the CPM and Congress workers, who could be intimidated to join the BJP during the upcoming panchayat polls in the state. Banerjee asked the TMC workers to strengthen the party in the run-up to the panchayat polls.
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