Amid a strain in ties between the TMC and the Congress, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday stated that “there is no United Progressive Alliance (UPA) now.”
Mamata is on a three-day visit to Mumbai to meet leaders of the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Addressing reporters following her meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Mamata said a firm alternative needs to be planned as nobody is fighting against the ongoing fascism.
“Sharad Ji is a senior leader and I came to discuss our political parties. I agree with whatever Sharad Ji said. There is no UPA,” Mamata was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, Pawar, whose NCP is in alliance with the Congress in Maharashtra, reiterated the need for a strong alternative leadership. The NCP chief said Mamata’s intention is that like-minded forces should come together at the national level and set up a collective leadership. “Our thinking is not for today, but for the election,” he added.
When asked if an alliance without the Congress was on the cards, Pawar said, “All those opposed to the BJP are welcome to join us. There is no question of excluding anyone”.
Earlier in the day, while interacting with some civil society members in Mumbai, the TMC chief said she had suggested to the Congress that an advisory council comprising prominent personalities from civil society be set up to give a direction to the opposition, but rued that the plan did not materialise.
If all regional parties come together, it would be easy to defeat the BJP, Banerjee said. “We want to say BJP hatao, desh bachao,” she said, adding that her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) will not contest the forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
To a query on if she would lead the opposition alliance against the BJP, Banerjee said she is a “small worker” and wants to continue so.
Further, taking a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Mamata said, “Continuous endeavour is necessary in politics. You can’t be abroad most of the time.”
She added that the BJP is “not safe” and the need is to keep the country safe.
Earlier on Tuesday, Maharashtra Minister for Minority Affairs and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik had remarked that an Opposition Front was not possible without the Congress.
Responding to questions about the Trinamool Congress chief trying to displace Congress from its position of principle Opposition party using various tactics — including poaching of Congress’ MLAs as it did in Meghalaya recently — Malik said every party has a right to make efforts to expand its base, but it’s impossible to organise an opposition to the BJP by keeping Congress out.
