New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee Thursday said she believes that the BJP will “go” this time and asserted that the opposition does not have to wait until the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, as she called for the INDIA bloc to fight together.
Banerjee’s remarks came a day after the opposition bloc held a three-and-a-half-hour meeting in Delhi and finalised a joint action plan against the Election Commission (EC) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, including nationwide “Save Democracy” programmes, a march by opposition MPs to the poll panel’s office October 6 and plans to seek a meeting with the president.
“We believe that this time the BJP will go and we do not have to wait up to 2029. See what happens. The game has begun,” Banerjee told a press conference here.
The former West Bengal chief minister said the opposition should first focus on the immediate political battle, including the functioning of the EC, and work together.
“They can win bypolls by force through the EC, but nothing more. First, (Chief Election Commissioner) Gyanesh Kumar should go. Vanish Kumar, who has made democracy vanish. Secondly, improve the election system. Everyone fights together,” she said.
Banerjee was referring to the INDIA bloc’s demand for Kumar’s removal over the SIR exercise and other issues concerning the conduct of elections.
On the outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the TMC supremo said, “Last time also they (BJP) won by manipulation. They did not get the majority.”
She then said the present political scenario can change soon, while making it clear that she is not predicting a specific timeline.
“See how long it will go on. Two months, three months, six months. I am not an astrologer. But I think, very soon, you will get the good news,” Banerjee said.
She stressed that decisions on the opposition’s future course of action would be collective and said the TMC would remain in the INDIA bloc.
“We are with the INDIA bloc and whatever decisions the alliance takes, we will respect those like a family and work together with unity,” she said.
Asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the question of leadership of the opposition alliance, Banerjee said the INDIA bloc is a family and decisions will be taken collectively.
She also said the issue cannot be reduced to the decision of any one leader or party.
On the ongoing mobilisation against the EC, Banerjee said the opposition is not afraid of taking up the issue.
“We are not afraid, we fight. The name of fighting is life. We will fight,” she said.
Banerjee’s remarks came as INDIA bloc parties sought to broaden the campaign beyond their existing alliance. At Wednesday’s meeting, she had also called for reaching out to other political groups on the issue, while the INDIA bloc agreed on a coordinated programme of protests and public mobilisation.