Mamata Banerjee urges Oppn to set aside own discord & fight unitedly against BJP for 2024

Eyeing the Lok Sabha Elections in 2024, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday urged Opposition parties to keep aside differences and work together to overthrow the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 polls. The TMC Supremo also proposed the formation of a core group of Opposition leaders to decide on joint programmes and movements to be held across the country.

CM Banerjee manifests role in national politics, desire to defeat BJP

The Trinamool Congress Supremo, Banerjee, one of the country’s seniormost Opposition leaders has been manifesting her exuberance following her sweeping victory over the saffron party in the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, an election, full of challenges for her to become the Bengal Chief for a consecutive third time. Following her victory in the West Bengal election, Banerjee has clearly manifested her role in national politics and her desire to defeat the BJP at the Centre in 2024.

Mamata urges Opposition to unitedly defeat BJP in 2024

Notably, the West Bengal Chief had on July 21 approached all Opposition parties with her same demand to unitedly defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections. She had pointed the Centre over a series of issues including the alleged surveillance of politicians, journalists, activists, etc. using the Israeli Pegasus spyware.

The TMC Supremo's clear message to Opposition parties, especially the regional forces, this time is to sort out their discords while planning for 2024. Notably, the Bengal Chief had in the year 2019 had attempted to forge a third front ahead of the 2019 general elections as well but she couldn't grab a strong unity among the regional parties. However, this time Banerjee has begun the preparations three years prior to the Lok Sabha elections. 

She had earlier stated that 'there was no point in scrambling to cobble together an alliance at the last moment without first chalking out a plan of action and strategy.'

Banerjee's recent gambit - nephew Abhishek as TMC General Secretary

In her recent gambit, Banerjee has inducted her nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee as the TMC’s all-India General Secretary. The move enables Abhishek to take up a significant role in bonding ties with other regional heavyweights. Moreover, Banerjee has also been targetting to strengthen the TMC camp in Tripura and Uttar Pradesh. The TMC has been showing serious efforts to enter the 2023 Tripura Assembly election as the prime opponent of the saffron camp, which had cleared the state in 2018.

Mamata meet Opp leaders, TMC leaders form bonds with regional parties

Recently during her visit to Delhi, the Bengal Chief had met with Opposition leaders including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Pawar, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, and AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal. On the other hand, senior party members of the TMC, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O’Brien have been seeking confidence among the TMC and other Opposition camps in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, with an aim to put up a fight unitedly against the Narendra Modi-led government for the election to come.

Through her “Khela Hobe” (Game On) slogan that Banerjee has been sporting in the regional as well as national stage now, declared that “Khela” would happen in all states before the 2024 elections. The slogan has been dedicated to encouraging the Opposition of a possible defeat of the saffron party across the Nation.

All Party-Opposition leaders hold a virtual meeting, raise 11 point charter demand  

Meanwhile, leaders of the Opposition on Friday jointly held a virtual meeting while setting up plans for the 2024 polls. The Opposition parties have raised an 11-point charter of demands before the Government condemning it for the washout of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. 

Opposition outfits condemn Centre for disrupting Parliament's monsoon session

In a joint statement, the Opposition condemned the manner in which the Centre disrupted the Monsoon Session of the Parliament, refusing to discuss, answer illegal use of Pegasus military spyware, repeal of anti-farmer laws, gross mismanagement of Covid-19, inflation & price rise. The Opposition also alleged that the Parliament witnessed unprecedented scenes where MPs, including women MPs, were injured by Marshalls. Apart from denying the Opposition their right to raise crucial issues, the govt steamrolled legislation through the din of disruption.

Leaders of the Opposition meanwhile demanded the release of all political prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir while seeking full restoration of statehood including the J&K cadre of central services. They also demanded the Centre to conduct a free and fair election at the earliest. The Opposition has also decided to jointly organise protests across the country from September 20-30 against the BJP government.

"We demand the Centre repeal three anti-agriculture laws and compulsorily guarantee MSP to farmers. Release all political prisoners, including those under draconian UAPA in Bhima Koregaon case and anti-CAA protests," the Opposition maintained.