Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to renew her efforts to unite the non-BJP parties under the a Federal Front following the decision of Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to shun the Congress in the November-December Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The Bengal Chief Minister has already invited a whole lot of non-BJP leaders to attend the Trinamool Congress-sponsored rally at historic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. The rally will be held on January 19 ostensibly a few days after the BJP organises its own rally to be attended, amongst others, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In fact, the Left Front led by the CPI(M) is also planning a similar rally where it is likely to invite the “secular and democratic forces” at the same venue “and with the same menu (read leaders) on the platter.”
Mamata is likely to invite both Mayawati and Yadav to the TMC rally from where she will call upon the anti-BJP outfits to drop their differences including those on Prime Ministership and concentrate on defeating the saffron outfit.
“Our leader is against letting the opposition votes to get divided. She supports the one-against-one policy to ensure BJP’s defeat,” said a Trinamool Congress leader and a Minister from South Kolkata.
“The same tactic she successfully applied against the mighty Left Front Government and ensured its defeat in 2009 and 2011,” he said quoting the Chief Minister who wants “the party which is strong in a region should be allowed to lead the charge.”
Banerjee is likely to drive home the same point to the UP leaders inher bid to convince them for a united struggle against the BJP, sources said adding the “the situation will be clear in two months’ time and hopefully Mamata Banerjee will be in the centre stage of the new evolving system.”
Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, the CM on Monday called upon the people of Durga Puja-bound Bengal to maintain peace and harmony. “Faith may be yours; Faith may be mine; but festival belongs to one and all,” the Chief Minister said while inaugurating the Durga Puja pandal of Bag Bazaar Sarbojonin Durga Puja committee. She said “Durga Puja preaches unity, love and peace. It is our heritage and we should all work towards preserving that heritage by helping the police force to maintain peace and order.”