Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday took a dig at the “unstable” nature of the NDA alliance and said even if the combine occupied the seat of power now, the INDIA bloc would take over in the future.
“The new government will ultimately be of the INDIA (bloc)... However, let us see how many days they (NDA) stay. Let’s see how they (the BJP) are satisfying whom and how. Though we respect those in the NDA (apart from the BJP), their constituents have many demands. However, our constituents in the INDIA bloc have no demand apart from the welfare of the people,” Mamata said.
A day before Narendra Modi takes oath as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term, Mamata’s comments assume significance.
“We have told our MPs that we will not go to Delhi to sit idle. INDIA (bloc) did not stake its claim today; that does not mean it would not do it tomorrow. We are waiting and watching the situation,” Mamata told reporters at her Kalighat residence after a meeting with party MPs and senior leaders to frame its strategy in Lok Sabha.
A source said at the closed-door meeting with newly elected MPs and senior party leaders, Mamata claimed that the third Modi government would not last “long”.
When asked about the longevity of the third Modi government, Mamata said: “It may not be 15 days. I am not an astrologer... but I make predictions like I did about the BJP’s number of seats.”
A senior TMC leader said that Mamata’s confidence was likely to be a reason for the Modi government’s worry as she suggested all efforts would be made to discontinue Modi’s third term in power.
“You should remember how her nephew and party national general secretary (Abhishek Banerjee) met several leaders of the INDIA bloc during his recent visit to Delhi. When two political leaders meet amid discussions on whether Modi can continue his third term by depending on allies, it is something special,” said the leader who attended Saturday’s meeting.
Mamata went on to predict that a rift might come from within the BJP as many were unhappy with Modi.
“Don’t try to split any other political party. If you try to do so, your party will face the same. Remember there are many people (MPs) in your party who are not happy with you,” Mamata said.
The Bengal CM claimed that after such a “defeat”, Modi, who announced that the BJP would get two-thirds majority and finally stopped at 240, should have left the chair for someone else in the party.
“The country needs a change. No one wants Modi anymore. After such a defeat, Modibabu had to confer the responsibility (of the Prime Minister) to any other leader... If I were in his place, I would have never taken the responsibility without having a single-party majority,” she said.
Mamata said that despite Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and Nitish Kumar’s JDU being part of the NDA, both were friends of the Opposition bloc.
“They are our good friends. We will approach them with our demands. Who told you that they (TDP and JDU) are not with us?” asked Mamata.
A source said Mamata always had a good relationship with Naidu and Nitish.
Naidu called on Mamata at Nabanna in 2019, while Nitish, who was part of the INDIA bloc, had reportedly been offered the PM post by the anti-Modi alliance.
“Everything is possible in politics.... Let’s wait and see the developments,” said a TMC source.
Mamata said even if the new government lasts for a day, her party MPs would demand the cancellation of the NRC and CAA.
“They passed those acts by force, suspending the Opposition MPs. Even if their government lasts for a day, we will demand the cancellation of all those laws,” said Mamata.
She made it clear that her party MPs would not attend Modi’s swearing-in on Sunday.
“I cannot wish an undemocratic, unconstitutional, and illegal party well.... My best wishes will be for people of this country....,” Mamata said.
Team TMC
Trinamool will have Sudip Bandyopadhyay as its leader of the Lok Sabha, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as deputy and Kalyan Banerjee as chief whip. Derek O’Brien is the leader of the Rajya Sabha, Sagarika Ghose the deputy and Nadimul Haque as chief whip.
Mamata has been appointed as the chairperson of the parliamentary party.