Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee believes the Samajwadi Party and its allies are in a position to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and said on Monday that she would do everything to help Akhilesh Yadav.

On a tour of Uttar Pradesh from Monday evening to Tuesday, Mamata didn’t issue an elaborate statement after her arrival at Lucknow airport around 6.30pm, but interacted with journalists before leaving the Calcutta airport in the afternoon.

“Let the Assembly elections happen first…. We are not contesting in the Assembly elections, but I am going to extend my moral support,” said the Bengal chief minister, responding to a question on her assertion earlier that her party would contest from UP in the general election of 2024.

“I am going to campaign for the Samajwadi Party, especially for the election phases covering western UP. Akhileshji invited me…. I want Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party to win in UP,” she added. “Akhileshji’s fight, everyone should support it. I want the BJP to lose, the Samajwadi Party to win, for the future of UP.”

Asked if the Congress should have gone into an alliance or understanding with Akhilesh in the crucial northern state, Mamata said: “Doing this together would have been good. When one isn’t likely to get anything, there is no need for eating into somebody else’s votes.”

“We also tried, but they (the Congress) did not listen. Akhileshji is in this fight, wholeheartedly. He is a former chief minister. If every section of the people, across communities, comes together to support him, he has a chance of winning.”

Asked about her plans with Akhilesh to conduct a similar exercise later this election in Varanasi, Mamata said she would like to go to the Vishwanath temple and offer prayers. Responding to a question on whether Varanasi was picked as it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency, Mamata said it wasn’t so.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said: “She is confident of the victory of the SP. She has her own sources and also keeps a close watch on the state. She symbolises victory. We believe that her arrival and campaign for the SP will help Akhilesh in becoming CM and restart the development works which were halted by Yogi Adityanath.”

Akhilesh and some other Samajwadi Party leaders welcomed Mamata at the Lucknow airport.

Akhilesh Yadav tweeted in Hindi: “We had defeated them (the BJP) in Bengal together, we will defeat them now in UP. I promise to Didi (Mamata) that we will win again. You are welcomed in UP.”

Chaudhary said: “Mamata and Akhilesh will address a joint news conference at the party headquarters on Tuesday, before they proceed to address a virtual rally. She will also visit a few places in the state along with Akhilesh.”

A few days ago, Keshav Prasad Maurya, deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, had said: “Mamata will face defeat wherever she goes in UP.”

BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted in English and Hindi: “During Bengal election Mamata Banerjee said: “The goondas of Uttar Pradesh, who eat pan-masala, wear saffron and apply tilak have been sent here (Bengal). These people are harming our culture.” “Akhilesh Yadav has insulted the people of UP by inviting het to campaign for him.”