Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 1 (ANI): Ahead of the general elections scheduled in 2024, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said that there is a need for like-minded political forces to come together to provide “strong alternative” at the national level.
Pawar spelled out his strategy to counter Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024 Lok Sabha polls following his meeting with Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee in Mumbai.
After meeting Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, Pawar stated that Mamata’s intention is that like-minded forces should come together at the national level and set up a collective leadership. “We have to provide a strong alternative to leadership. Our thinking is not for today, but for the election. This has to be established and with that intention, she has visited and had a very positive discussion with all of us,” he said.
“Be it Congress or any other party, the thing is that those who are against BJP, if they will come together, they are welcome, he said when asked if Congress will be a part of the “strong alternative”.
Banerjee, the West Bengal chief minister, has been recently reaching out to an array of regional parties. Her meeting with Pawar came a day after she held discussions with Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray.
“Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray met her. Today, my colleagues and I had a long chat with her. Her intention is, in today’s situation like-minded forces have to come together at the national level and set up collective leadership,” Pawar said.
Pawar too tweeted a photograph of the meeting with the TMC leader at his residence here. “Pleased to meet Hon’ble CM of West Bengal Smt @MamataOfficial at my Mumbai residence. We Discussed various issues. We agreed upon the need to strengthen the collective efforts and commitment towards safeguarding democratic values and ensuring the betterment of our people”, Pawar tweeted.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal CM after the meeting took another swipe at Congress and questioned the existence of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). “There is no UPA now,” Mamata said.
This comment by the TMC chief comes ahead of the Cold War between Congress and the TMC. Recently, Mamata Banerjee visited Delhi but she did not meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. (ANI)
Thinking that without Congress anybody can defeat BJP is merely a dream: KC Venugopal
New Delhi [India], December 2 (ANI): After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a jibe at the Congress by saying that no UPA is left now, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without the Congress is merely a dream.
Speaking to ANI, Venugopal said, “Everybody knows the reality of Indian politics. Thinking that without Congress anybody can defeat BJP is merely a dream.” “What is UPA? There is no UPA,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday after meeting with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar here on Wednesday.
The TMC leader statement on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was made during her three-day visit to Maharashtra’s capital city during which she is meeting leaders of the NCP and Shiv Sena.
Pawar too tweeted a photograph of the meeting with the TMC leader at his residence here. “Pleased to meet CM of West Bengal Smt @MamataOfficial at my Mumbai residence. We discussed various issues. We agreed upon the need to strengthen the collective efforts and commitment towards safeguarding democratic values and ensuring the betterment of our people”, Pawar tweeted.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mamata noted that a firm alternative course should be made to fight against “ongoing fascism”. “A firm alternative course should be made as nobody’s fighting against ongoing fascism. Sharad ji is the senior-most leader and I came to discuss our political parties. I agree with whatever Sharad ji said. There is no UPA,” the West Bengal CM said. (ANI)
