Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday called for all opposition parties in West Bengal to unite under a “joint platform” to fight the BJP, which took over the reins of the state from the TMC after 15 years in power.
The former chief minister also called upon the student unions opposed to the BJP and even NGOs to unite against the BJP.
Mamata's message came even as Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the chief minister of Bengal, becoming the first BJP leader to do so. Mamata's party suffered a massive defeat in the state elections, with the BJP getting over two-thirds majority on May 4.
"I call upon all opposition parties, including the Leftists and the ultra-Left, to come together to form a joint platform against the BJP," Banerjee said while addressing a small gathering in front of her Kalighat residence on Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, PTI reported.
Mamata also urged national parties to join her "joint platform" to fight the BJP. She further said that she will talk with any political party if they want to hold a dialogue with her in this regard.
{{/usCountry}}Mamata also urged national parties to join her "joint platform" to fight the BJP. She further said that she will talk with any political party if they want to hold a dialogue with her in this regard.
{{/usCountry}}"It is not the time to think the enemy's enemy is my friend, our first enemy is the BJP," the TMC leader said.
Mamata further claimed that atrocities were being committed against TMC workers and supporters across the state after the BJP's win.
“Hooliganism is going on at places, bad elements have entered their (BJP) ranks,” Banerjee said.
Mamata's message in backdrop of Rahul ‘only Congress’ claim
The chatter around 'INDIA' bloc is back with the TMC's loss in Bengal. A day after the big BJP win, Akhilesh Yadav, a leader of the opposition bloc, met Mamata and backed her claim that the Election Commission and the BJP "stole" the mandate in Bengal.
Though, Mamata has been a part of the opposition INDIA bloc, her party went solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections in Bengal.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi also took to social media to post a short video with a mega claim on the opposition alliance.
“Likh kar le lo,” take it in writing, Rahul Gandhi said in his X post on Friday, adding, “No other party can defeat the BJP and Narendra Modi. Only the Congress can.”
The opposition alliance has also served a blow in Tamil Nadu, where the Congress has chose to back Vijay's TVK, the largest party in the state, raising questions over its future with DMK, a key partner in terms of numbers in Lok Sabha.