West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken to her official Twitter handle to express gratitude to Delhi CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Congress stalwart and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Punjab CM and Congress senior leader Capt Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and DMK president MK Stalin for supporting her government in its tussle with the BJP govt at the centre over the transfer of three IPS officers.
She said on microblogging site Twitter, “Centre is brazenly interfering with State Govt functioning by transferring police officers. My gratitude to @bhupeshbaghel, @ArvindKejriwal, @capt_amarinder, @ashokgehlot51 and @mkstalin for showing solidarity to people of Bengal & reaffirming their commitment to federalism. Thank you!”
After Mamata Banerjee locked horns with the central government over the recent summoning of three West Bengal IPS officers on central deputation in the aftermath of the mob attack on BJP chief JP Nadda’s convoy attack, many anti-BJP party’s had come out to vociferously support the WB ruling dispensation. While Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel “condemned” what he viewed as the “Centre’s interference” in the state’s affairs, Stalin called the decision of the BJP govt to transfer the 3 IPS officers from Bengal “autocratic and anti-federal”.
For the unversed, the Union Government has recalled three IPS officers from West Bengal following the attack on BJP President J.P. Nadda in the state. The three IPS officers were on central deputation. The decision came after BJP President’s convoy was attacked and several BJP leaders including Kailash Vijayvargiya was injured in the process. It is pertinent to note that despite repeated summons, the Mamata Banerjee government had declined to send the 3 IPS officials on central deputation to meet the MHA.
Mamata Banerjee invites anti-BJP forces to join her election rally in Kolkata
Moreover, speculation is rife, that in a desperate attempt to keep BJP at bay as 2021 Assembly elections approach WB, Mamata Banerjee is making moves to assemble a team of “anti-BJP” leaders from across the country and get it to join her election rally in Kolkata next month. According to a report by Times Now, the TMC supremo is trying to rope in Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, MK Stalin, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and other regional leaders for the rally.
While TMC confirmed that the ruling party has sent an invitation to Sharad Pawar requesting him to join Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata in January, Pawar is reported to have accepted the invitation.
For the uninitiated, prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections also, Mamata Banerjee, in a show of unity and strength, had held a similar anti-BJP rally in Kolkata. However, much to her dismay, BJP made stunning inroads in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state, showing a virtual saffron sweep in the state by bagging as many as 18 seats while TMC won 22. TMC had won only by three seats from BJP.
