Shiv Sena's Raut backs Congress' Rahul Gandhi to lead Oppn in 2024 after Mamata's UPA jibe

Six days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that 'UPA is finished', Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday batted for Congress' Rahul Gandhi to lead the Opposition against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He said that no opposition front is possible without Congress.

"Have always said that if there comes an Opposition it's not possible without Congress," Sanjay Raut said. The Shiv Sena leader further said that he has asked Rahul Gandhi to lead the opposition and "work openly towards united opposition." 

When asked if Shiv Sena will join UPA, Raut said, "It was a long meeting (Rahul Gandhi), I will first meet Uddhav Thackeray and then we will talk about it."

Earlier, Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said that the Opposition should unite first before deciding the leader of the United Progressive Alliance. The editorial said, "Congress is still there in many states. In Goa and Northeast states, the Congress leaders have joined Trinamool and the same is true with AAP." 

"Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should take the lead and come forward to strengthen the UPA," Saamana suggested.

'There's no UPA anymore': Mamata Banerjee 

During her visit to Mumbai last week, West Bengal CM and TMC chief said that there is no UPA anymore after meeting the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. Banerjee had asserted that no political party could fight alone against BJP and urged 'parties that can fight' to come together. Taking a dig at the Congress party, she stated that 'for those parties who can't fight' nothing can be done. 

Mamata Banerjee has been projecting herself as the face of Opposition since TMC's landslide victory in West Bengal polls. Recently, Congres received a major jolt when 12 of its 17 MLAs in Meghalaya joined Trinamool Congress. In September, ex-Goa chief Luizinho Faleiro joined TMC after quitting primary membership of Congress. Congress MP Sushmita Dev also joined Mamata Banerjee's party. Both Faleiro and Dev were awarded Rajya Sabha seats.

Image: PTI