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'Only helping the ruling party:' Mallikarjun Kharge on Mamata Banerjee's 'what is UPA' remark
"Mamata Banerjee is absolutely wrong that the UPA does not exist," Kharge said adding, "Congress is raising every issue and is fighting everywhere.".
The Congress on Thursday hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after she said that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) does not exist. Criticising the Trinamool Congress supremo, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, as reported by news agency ANI, said, "Some people are only helping the ruling party at the Centre."
"Mamata Banerjee is absolutely wrong that the UPA does not exist," Kharge said adding, "Congress is raising every issue and is fighting everywhere." "Our aim is to defeat the BJP but some people are helping that party only. Congress is in power in many states and also in Opposition in some places," the senior Congress leader also said.
Kharge further said that the opposition should not get divided and fight amongst themselves while noting that Congress has tried to include them (TMC) in various socio-political issues where Congress made its name. "We have to fight against BJP together," Kharge added.
On Wednesday, Banerjee who is on a three-day visit to Mumbai, met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to pitch for a united alliance of opposition parties to oust the BJP from the Centre. Speaking after the meeting, Banerjee addressed a press conference, during which she said there is no UPA. "Considering today’s situation and the ongoing fascism, a strong alternative force is required in the country against it. No one can do it alone. We all need a strong alternative and if someone is not ready to fight, then what can be done.”
The remarks have since irked the Congress, with senior leaders slamming the West Bengal chief minister and accusing her of "posturing for personal ambition".
Trinamool Congress was once part of the UPA, an alliance of several parties headed by the Congress that remained in power at the Centre for 10 years from 2004 to 2014.
After the TMC's landslide victory in West Bengal Assembly polls held early this year, Banerjee is continuously pitching for a strong alternative at the national level, in a seeming attempt to go national.
On Thursday, reacting to Banerjee's remarks, Digvijay Singh took a swipe as he said, "Can any political alliance formed against BJP be without the participation of Congress?" "Our fight is against the ruling party (BJP). Those who want to join us should come with us and those who don't want to join us are free to do so," ANI quoted Singh as saying.
Another senior leader and former Union minister Kapil Sibal also reacted to the remarks and said, without the century-old party, "UPA will be a body without a soul."
