| 22 June 2023
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, Mamata Banerjee, met with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Yadav and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in Patna on Wednesday, a day before the highly anticipated mega Opposition meeting. This meeting holds great significance as opposition parties from nearly 20 parties are set to gather in Patna to devise a joint strategy against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The meeting was called by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader, Nitish Kumar.
Mamata Banerjee's visit to Patna, accompanied by her nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, indicates her commitment to forging alliances and strengthening ties with key opposition leaders. After her meeting with the RJD leaders, Banerjee expressed optimism, stating that the opposition parties will fight collectively like a family. She expressed her delight in seeing Lalu Yadav, assuring everyone that he is in good health. Banerjee further added, "I am sure that everyone will fight together and win."
Prior to her departure for Patna, Mamata Banerjee addressed the press in Kolkata, emphasizing the urgency of defeating the BJP in the next Lok Sabha polls to safeguard the country from what she termed a "disaster." She expressed hope that the opposition meeting in Patna would be productive, allowing parties to consolidate their efforts against the ruling party.
However, Banerjee made it clear that she would not be attending the all-party meeting on Manipur, which has been called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on June 24. Instead, the Trinamool Congress will be represented by the party's leader in Rajya Sabha, Derek O'Brien. The West Bengal CM cited the short notice given for the Manipur meeting, stating that she had previously requested permission from the central government to visit Manipur but received a letter only recently, informing her about the all-party meeting.
Drawing attention to the situation in Manipur, Banerjee criticized the central government for its failure to restore peace in the region. Violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities have resulted in the loss of more than 100 lives. The West Bengal CM expressed her concern and called for swift action to address the ongoing crisis.
During her address, Mamata Banerjee also discussed the violence that occurred in West Bengal during the nomination period for the upcoming Panchayat elections. She asserted, "Never ever has the poll process in Bengal been so peaceful. It is cadres of our party who have been killed." Banerjee refuted reports of widespread violence, stating that incidents were limited to only three to four booths.
In response to calls for the removal of the State Election Commissioner (SEC), Rajiva Sinha, Banerjee ruled out the possibility, claiming that there is no information regarding Governor C V Ananda Bose returning Sinha's joining report. She emphasized that the removal of the SEC is a "cumbersome process" and can only be done through impeachment.
As the mega Opposition meeting approaches, Mamata Banerjee's efforts to unite various parties against the BJP demonstrate her determination to create a formidable front ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The discussions in Patna will play a crucial role in shaping the opposition's strategy and determining their future course of action to challenge the ruling party's dominance.
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