Will campaign for Thackeray during assembly polls: Mamata

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Banerjee lauded Thackeray for his fight against BJP during the Lok Sabha elections

Mumbai: West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar at their respective residences in Mumbai and announced that she would campaign for Shiv Sena (UBT) during the forthcoming assembly elections.

Mumbai, Jul 12 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee meets Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray, at Matoshree in Mumbai on Friday. (ANI Photo) (AITC - X)

“Thackeray fought like a tiger in the Lok Sabha polls and during the (assembly) elections I will come to Mumbai to campaign for him,” Banerjee said after meeting the Thackeray family at Matoshree. The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief too presented a picture of bonhomie between the two leaders, saying it was a family meeting as Banerjee had old relations with the Thackeray family. “It was a meeting between brother and sister. She always visits our home during her Mumbai tour,” Thackeray said.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Banerjee lauded Thackeray for his fight against BJP during the Lok Sabha elections. “His party was split, the party name and symbol were taken away. It was unethical. Still, he fought like a tiger and I like that. I will campaign for him in the coming elections,” said Banerjee.

The West Bengal chief minister proceeded to Silver Oak, the residence of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, after meeting Thackeray, where the veteran leader and his wife Pratibha welcomed her with the idol of Lord Vitthal. MP Supriya Sule, MLA Rohit Pawar and Yugendra Pawar were present during the occasion. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, she said, “I had a productive meeting with Sharad Pawar today. Our conversation was rich and enlightening, as we delved into pressing issues and shared our vision for a progressive and united India. Together, we are dedicated to upholding the values of democracy, secularism, and ensuring the well-being of all citizens.”

When asked about the Narendra Modi-led government declaring June 25, the date of proclamation of the Emergency in 1975, as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’, Banerjee, who is in the city to attend the wedding of Mukesh Ambani’s younger son Anant Ambani, said the emergency during Modi’s 10-year tenure as prime minister was deeper and more dastardly.

“They introduced new criminal laws in the country without any discussion when 147 MPs were suspended (from parliament). Today, no one knows how to file an FIR or which cases warrant an FIR and which don’t. Even doctors can be put in jail for six years. Everyone is afraid. We don’t support the emergency, but charity begins at home. They won one Lok Sabha seat in Mumbai by just 48 votes. Like this, they have captured so many seats. Otherwise this time, they would not have come to power,” said Banerjee.

Responding to a question about fighting the Congress in Bengal and supporting it at the national level, she said her party believes in unity in diversity and would work to protect it. “Our party’s stand is very clear – unity in diversity is our ideology. We will protect it. In West Bengal, we can’t adjust with the Congress and CPI(M). We fought against the CPI(M) and came to power. If Congress, BJP and CPI(M) work together, we will have problems. But on a national level, we support the Congress and are part of the INDIA bloc,” she said.

The West Bengal chief minister also said that the government at the centre was not stable and could fall any time. “Khela (game) has just begun and it will go on,” she said.