Cong has to take a call on joining federal front: Didi
KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the Congress has to decide whether it will join the federal front mooted by her to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and it has to agree to a one-on-one fight in all the states.
During an interview with a private news channel, Mamata claimed that it would be difficult for the BJP to win the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
When asked whether the federal front will include the Congress, the TMC chief said, “The answer lies in the future. The Congress has to decide whether it will join the federal front.”
She told the channel, “The Congress is there in Karnataka. Why should I go there? Similarly, DMK is in Tamil Nadu, TRS is in Telangana, Akhilesh (Yadav) is there in UP. We will give support to them. The Congress has to agree to the one-on-one formula.”
Banerjee said all the regional parties have to work together on the basis of a common minimum agenda in the country’s interest.
“The Congress has its limitavices tions. It has to accept it,” she said.
“The federal front is the main criteria. It has its importance,” Banerjee said, adding, “I am happy doing politics in the state. I want betterment of the people.”
Claiming that the Congress did not want to fight the BJP in the Tripura assembly elections, she said, “We (TMC) wanted to give 30 seats to the Congress in Tripura to fight the poll together but they did not agree to it.”
The chief minister said it would be tough for the BJP to win the 2019 general elections because small and medium industries, unorganised and rural sectors have suffered due to demonetisation and hasty implementation of the Goods and Ser- Tax (GST).
“The people are not happy with them (BJP) because atrocities were committed on the Dalits, people were divided on communal lines,” Banerjee alleged.
‘CONG’S IMPEACHMENT MOVE INCORRECT’
Banerjee also said the Congress’ decision to bring an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Dipak Misra was incorrect and clarified that her party did not support the move.
“The Congress’ decision to submit an impeachment motion against the Chief Justice was not correct. They wanted us to support it. But Trinamool Congress did not support it,” the CM said.
“I told Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi not to go for impeachment,” Banerjee added.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday rejected the impeachment motion filed by 64 MPS belonging to seven parties led by the Congress against the CJI on the ground that there was lack of “credible and verifiable” information on charges of “misbehaviour”, which, he said, undermined judiciary’s independence.