On the second day of her political sojourn in Delhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi as also some rebel
BJP leaders such as Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha, and Arun Shourie.
Mamata’s meeting with Sonia has ended speculation that the Trinamool Congress chief was trying to keep the Congress at bay while mobilsing the anti-BJP front of regional parties.
While Mamata wants this front to consist of only regional parties to ensure they put up a direct fight against the BJP in their respective States, she also wants the Congress to play a role in this regard.
“We want the Congress to help the regional parties’ front that is being talked about, so as to facilitate a one-is-to-one fight. This one-is-to-one fight will eliminate BJP politically,” Mamata said after the meeting with Sonia.
On Tuesday, Mamata had met several MPs, including those from the NCP, Shiv Sena and TRS.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee called on BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha and also held discussions with Arun Shourie, a former Union Minister in the NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
After the meeting, Shourie, who has been critical of the Modi Government, said the Trinamool chief’s theory of putting up a one-on-one fight against the BJP in every State was the right path to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“If the one-on-one formula is implemented, the Opposition will be able to corner 69 per cent of votes,” Shourie said.
Though Yashwant Sinha did not clarify on whether he or Shatrughan Sinha would join a united force against the BJP, he said, “Mamata is our old Cabinet colleague. Her personality is known to everyone. The role she has taken to save the country is appreciable. In future also, we will support her.”
The BJP was quick to hit out at its former ally, saying while her State was “burning”, she was “doing politics” in the national Capital. The party was referring to incidents of violence during Ram Navami processions in West Bengal.