Didi may emerge as rallying point for anti-BJP forces

Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service
Kolkata, May 3

Having returned to power in West Bengal with an emphatic victory, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday disclosed her plan to hold a mega rally at Kolkata’s iconic Brigade Parade Ground with various anti-BJP parties to mount a challenge to the government in the Centre.

Talking to mediapersons at her Kalighat residence, Mamata said in view of the Covid situation prevailing in the country she decided against organising big functions to celebrate the third straight victory by TMC in the Assembly elections. “When the Covid threat subsides, we will organise a rally at Brigade to celebrate our victory, which would be also attended by leaders of other parties,” Mamata said.

The TMC supremo said top leaders of various parties opposed to the BJP were also congratulating her. They included Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnailk, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and others.

There is good reason to believe that Mamata, having established herself as a formidable force against the BJP, may emerge as a rallying point for anti-BJP forces.

Even when she was busy campaigning for the elections, Mamata had written to various national leaders underscoring the necessity for uniting against the BJP-led government at the Centre. In her statements at elections rallies, the TMC supremo had time and again said that her next target would be to take on the BJP government at the Centre.