West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she wanted to help the strongest regional parties in all states defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in one-to-one contests, News18 reported. She said the BJP-led government at the Centre had lost all credibility with the public.
Banerjee made this statement after meeting leaders of several Opposition parties in the Parliament on Tuesday, sparking talk of a third front taking shape to counter the BJP in the 2019 General Elections. She also met Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut – his party is an ally of the BJP at the Centre, but has often criticised the government.
When asked whether the Shiv Sena was a communal party, Banerjee said there was “no party more communal” than the Bharatiya Janata Party in India. “I maintain contacts with everybody, including Hardik Patel,” she said, referring to the Patidar leader from Gujarat. “I do not want to alienate anybody.”
The chief minister is on a four-day visit to New Delhi.
“We should all help the strongest regional parties so that there is a one-to-one contest against the BJP everywhere,” Banerjee said. On Tuesday, Banerjee met Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar and Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Misa Bharti among others.
She reportedly also met advocate Prashant Bhushan to discuss an impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.
“When political people meet, then of course, they will discuss politics,” Banerjee said when asked what happened in the meetings. “The Lok Sabha elections of 2019 will certainly be very interesting.”
She will meet Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie on Wednesday. The three leaders are known to be critical of the BJP’s stand on several topics.
Banerjee also said she would “certainly go” to meet Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati and Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav if they invite her for a meeting.
The Bharatiya Janata Party mocked Banerjee for her Delhi visit. “She has gone there to fulfil the wishes of those who have been saying that she will be the next prime minister of the country,” West Bengal party chief Dilip Ghosh said, according to The Indian Express. “But in reality, nothing of that sort will happen. She is basically on a wild goose chase.”
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