Ahead of likely KCR visit: Mamata Banerjee only leader who can unite Opposition parties, says TMC

“It is natural for other parties to call on Mamata to hold talks on Opposition unity. It is because she is the only chief minister and political leader in the country who has been relentlessly fighting against the BJP-led NDA government. Besides this, she is also familiar with national politics as she was an MP and also served as the Union Railway Minister. She is an experienced leader and has done a tremendous job in terms of ushering in development. Under the present circumstances in the country, she is the only leader who can unite all Opposition parties and lead an alternative front. For other regional parties in the country, Banerjee and her party is the only alternative to join hands against the BJP,” state Co-operation Minister and Trinamool leader Arup Roy told The Indian Express.

“It is not only NCP or TRS who are showing interest in holding talks with Banerjee, there are other parties including some allies of BJP which also have the same intention,” Roy added.

Rao will be the second national political leader to call on Mamata this month. On March 9, NCP leader Praful Patel had met her in Nabanna and initiated talks for an alternative front. He also invited her to attend a meeting convened by NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Delhi on March 27 and 28. Rao’s purported visit comes after leaders of about 20 opposition parties got together at a dinner hosted by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi recently to discuss the possibility of a united front.

It may be noted that Rao had recently said a non-Congress and non-BJP front should be formed against the BJP. On March 4, Mamata reportedly spoke to Rao over phone and conveyed her support for his statement. Following the get-together of Opposition parties in Delhi on March 13, which was attended by TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Mamata also met Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling, whose party Sikkim Democratic Front is an ally of NDA. The meeting assumes significance after Andhra Pradesh’s ruling TDP pulled out of the BJP-led NDA. It may be recalled that Mamata had also met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai in November last year.

“It is not only Opposition parties, but also allies of BJP, which are also mulling the option of forming an alternative front. Recently, TDP severed its ties with BJP and we do not know who will follow suit. Being the flagbearer of an alternative front, we have to continuously hold talks with other regional parties as well as with those who are allies of BJP,” said a senior TMC leader.

According to the source, this is just the beginning of a massive political shift which will take its final shape before the 2019 polls.

“In 2019, it will be BJP versus the rest of India and the ball has started rolling in that direction. Our primary objective is to remove BJP-led NDA government from power and for that an alternative front is the only way forward,” the TMC leader added.