Mamata Banerjee Meets Sonia, Rahul Gandhi; Pitches For Opposition Unity to Defeat BJP in 2019
Mamata claimed she discussed with the top Congress leaders on the leadership of the potential alliance to be formed by all Opposition parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
New Delhi, Aug 1: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is in the national capital to step up her attack against the Centre over the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) which excludes 40 lakh people from Assam, met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday.
In the hour-long meet, Mamata discussed the formation of a pre-poll alliance of all Opposition parties to defeat the BJP in the general elections to be held next year.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said the BJP is not invincible. She said all Opposition parties will unit and defeat the "communal and divisive forces".
Mamata claimed she discussed with the top Congress leaders on the leadership of the potential alliance to be formed by all Opposition parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
"In 2019, all opposition parties will come together. Our priority is to defeat the BJP. There will be a collective leadership," she said.
The issue of NRC was also raised in the meeting, Banerjee claimed, adding that all Opposition parties have geared up to oppose the "deportation drive" of the BJP.
The TMC chief had drawn flak from the BJP on Tuesday after warning that the NRC will lead to "bloodbath, civil war" in the nation.
"We would like to ask Mamata ji whether she is issuing a threat to the law-abiding Indians. Does she intend to subvert the rights of the indigenous Assamese population," BJP president Amit Shah questioned.
Reverting to his attack, Mamata told reporters, "I am not BJP's servant to reply to any of their statements. I didn't say this (civil war remark), my concern is regarding the 40 lakh people whose names are not in the list (NRC). BJP is politically tensed because they know they won't come to power in 2019."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2018 08:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).