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Updated December 1st, 2021 at 18:11 IST

Sharad Pawar backs Mamata Banerjee for creating 'strong alterative' to BJP

In a press conference after the meet, Pawar said that Banerjee wants to bring like-minded people at a national level to provide a strong alternative to BJP.

Reported by: Kamal Joshi
Sharad Pawar
Image: Twitter@NCPSpeaks | Image:self
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Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday met West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee at his residence in Mumbai. In a press conference after the meet, Pawar said that Banerjee wants to bring like-minded people at a national level to provide a strong alternative to Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray could not come so 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," Sharad Pawar said.

He pointed that they want to create a strong alternative to BJP leadership. "Our thinking is not for today, but for election. This has to be established and with that intention, she has visited and had a very positive discussion with all of us," he added.

When asked if Congress will be part of this front, the former Maharashtra Chief Minister 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."

'There is no UPA': NCP Chief Sharad Pawar

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that a firm alternative course should be made as nobody is fighting against the ongoing fascism. She added that she agrees with whatever Sharad Pawar said and stated that there is no UPA now.

Since TMC's thumping victory in West Bengal assembly polls, Mamata Banerjee is projecting herself as the face of the opposition for the 2024 general elections. TMC is on an expansion spree with a goal to roll out party nationally. TMC has already increased its network in Goa, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam.

Amid winning assembly polls, Banerjee went to the national capital and met Opposition leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi. TMC's Bengali mouthpiece “Jago Bangla” also ran a cover story with the headline. "Rahul Gandhi failed, Mamata is the alternate face".

“The country is seeking an alternative face. I have known Rahul Gandhi for a long time, but I must say he has failed to emerge as an alternative face to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But Mamata Banerjee has been successful in emerging as an alternative face to Modi," the story had quoted the TMC's Lok Sabha party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay as saying.

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Published December 1st, 2021 at 18:11 IST

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