West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre after she attended the Opposition’s meeting hosted by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on Friday. She said, “If the BJP wins in the next election, India will exist no more, and there will be no more elections.”
Banerjee emphasised unity among the opposition, saying, “We are united and will fight together… The history started from here, and BJP wants to change that history. Our objective is to speak against this fascist government.”
During the press conference following the four-hour-long meeting, Banerjee affirmed that the opposition stands united in their fight against the BJP.
Criticising the central government’s rule and laws, she said, “The BJP has turned the Centre into a dictatorship government… Despite having elected state governments, Raj Bhawan has become an alternative government.” She further added, “If someone questions BJP’s atrocities, CBI or ED will intervene, and the entire media is also controlled by them.”
Banerjee asserted that any “kala kaanoon” (black laws) introduced by the BJP will face resistance, and all the parties present in the meeting will fight against them.
She also emphasised that all these parties collectively cannot be labelled as the “opposition”, stating, “We are citizens of this country too. We are disciplined, patriotic, and we also say ‘Bharat Mata’.”
Banerjee further attacked BJP saying it has disregard for unemployed youth, the welfare of the people, the deteriorating economy and said they lack respecting women, and neglect Dalits.
Upon her arrival in Patna on Thursday, Banerjee received a warm welcome from former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi.
Who all attended the opposition meeting in Patna
In addition to Mamata Banerjee, several other opposition leaders attended the meeting, including Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Bhagwant Mann, the Chief Minister of Punjab, MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mehbooba Mufti, the leader of the PDP, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress party, Uddhav Thackeray, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Sanjay Raut, Member of Parliament, Sharad Pawar, the Chief of NCP, and Omar Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal-United leader, Nitish Kumar, expressed his satisfaction with the meeting, stating that the opposition parties have decided to contest the elections together. He added that another meeting will be scheduled in the near future.
