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INDIA not staking claim to form govt doesn’t mean it won’t do it tomorrow: Mamata
TMC's Mamata Banerjee hints at INDIA bloc forming govt, criticizes Modi. TMC to step up protests against Centre, demands scrapping of NRC, CAA, UCC.
If the opposition INDIA bloc hasn’t staked claim to form the government today, it doesn’t mean that it won’t do it tomorrow, said Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress supremo.
“Don’t think that if INDIA bloc is not staking claim (to form the government) today, it doesn’t mean that it won’t do it tomorrow. We are waiting and watching. Let us wait for the opportunity. The country needs change. No one wants (Narendra) Modi. After this huge defeat Modi should have given the responsibility to someone else,” Banerjee said.
She was addressing the media after holding a meeting with newly elected Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs. The meeting was also attended by the party’s Rajya Sabha members, district presidents and some other party leaders.
“Ultimately INDIA bloc will form the government. Let the present government first maintain their balance and see how far they can satisfy their allies. We will wait and watch,”
“We (TMC) would be happy if the present ‘unstable and weak’ government, which has nothing to offer for the country, is shunted out at the earliest. They should go home, do some charity, meditate and stay well and allow INDIA to fulfill the commitments,” she added.
This comes just a day before Narendra Modi is set to take oath as the Prime Minister for the third time in a row. The TMC is likely to skip the oath taking ceremony. Banerjee said she may visit Delhi for a day after her party MPs take oath.
“I am sorry I won’t extend my best wishes to the government, which is being formed undemocratically, unconstitutionally and illegally. My best wishes will remain for the people of country for not casting their votes in their (BJP’s) favour,” Banerjee said.
With the BJP missing out on what would have been its third successive single-party majority, the TMC chief hinted that the BJP may engage in horse trading.
“I would request the MPs of all parties to strengthen their own parties because they (BJP) will again try to break them. The BJP should know that it is not a good thing. Their own party may disintegrate from within,” she said.
Riding high on her party’s big win against archrival BJP in West Bengal, Banerjee hinted how the TMC is going to step up its ante against the BJP-led Centre.
“All my MPs have got clear instructions that we are not going to Delhi to sit idle. The intensity of protests will rise. The Centre should forthwith clear the dues of all states. We would demand discussions over NRC and it has to be scrapped. The present government will have to scrap the NRC, CAA and UCC,” she said.
Attacking the BJP all through in her speech for not being able to win the single largest majority, Banerjee said that she wouldn’t have taken such a responsibility.
“Without the single largest majority, I would have never taken responsibility, had it been me. Last time, the BJP never held any discussions with any parties. They unilaterally passed the bills. Even dictatorship has a Laxman rekha. But they lack it even. The BJP engaged in terrible atrocities. The earlier they are shunted out of power the better,” she said.
The BJP hit back saying that the TMC supremo’s statements were baseless.
“The days the results were declared, she (Banerjee) had said that INDIA will form the government. The situation changed within two hours. Her statements are baseless. More than 23 million people have voted for the BJP in West Bengal despite TMC rigging elections and looting votes. Our vote share has increased by around 1%,” said Suvendu Adhikari, BJP legislator and leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly.
