On December 1, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee hinted that there would no United Progressive Alliance after she met with Sharad Pawar, president of Nationalist Congress Party, in Mumbai. In a statement, she said, “A firm alternative course should be made as nobody’s fighting against ongoing fascism. Sharad Ji is the seniormost leader & I came to discuss our political parties. I agree with whatever Sharad Ji said. There is no UPA.” Her statement hinted that in Lok Sabha elections 2024, the united opposition in the parliament would be without the Congress party.
A firm alternative course should be made as nobody’s fighting against ongoing fascism. Sharad Ji is the seniormost leader & I came to discuss our political parties. I agree with whatever Sharad Ji said. There is no UPA: WB CM Mamata Banerjee after meeting NCP Chief Sharad Pawar pic.twitter.com/P2GdlA9JlA
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2021
The statement made by West Bengal’s chief minister is significant as she has been trying to project herself as a national leader, and also trying to make TMC the main opposition party in place of Congress. Notably, she has recently claimed to have suggested to the Congress to form an advisory council with prominent personalities as members to provide direction to the opposition. She said, “If all regional parties come together, it would be easy to defeat the BJP.”
Though she insisted that TMC would not contest Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, she did mention, “We want to say BJP hatao, desh bachao.” TMC chief restrained herself from revealing further details as she did not “want her opposition to make their own strategy.” A number of Congress leaders have joined TMC in recent times. 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs in Meghalaya shifted to TMC. Earlier on Tuesday, she had met Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray.
Banerjee and Pawar’s meeting holds importance not only because of the efforts Banerjee is making to present herself as a national leader but also because of the fact that both TMC and NCP were formed after the respective leaders left Congress. In 1997, Mamata Banerjee left Congress and formed TMC. Sharad Pawar left Congress two years later in 1999 and formed NCP.
Pleased to meet Hon’ble CM of West Bengal Smt @MamataOfficial at my Mumbai residence. We Discussed various issues. We agreed upon the need to strengthen the collective efforts and commitment towards safeguarding democratic values and ensuring the betterment of our people. pic.twitter.com/ryrVH2hD6N
— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) December 1, 2021
Sharad Pawar posted images of his meeting with Mamata Banerjee on Twitter, saying that they discussed various issues. “We agreed upon the need to strengthen the collective efforts and commitment towards safeguarding democratic values and ensuring the betterment of our people,” he added.
Mamata Banerjee has been meeting leaders of various opposition parties to form an alliance of regional parties, without Congress, after her victory in the West Bengal assembly elections.
Congress says defeating BJP without it is a dream
Everybody knows the reality of Indian politics. Thinking that without Congress anybody can defeat BJP is merely a dream: Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal https://t.co/leu50rcfNj pic.twitter.com/xlAqoHUDkr
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2021
However, after Mamata Banerjee said that there is UPA now, the Congress party has said that it will not be possible to defeat BJP without Congress. Responding to her claims, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said on Wednesday thinking about defeating BJP without Congress is only a dream. “Everybody knows the reality of Indian politics. Thinking that without Congress anybody can defeat BJP is merely a dream,” Venugopal said.
