Regional parties enough to tackle BJP: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said regional parties were enough to check the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Banerjee, however, said it was too early to form a federal front to counter the BJP nationally.

"It is our continuous process to unite the regional parties. We want all regional parties to unite to strengthen the federal structure in the country," said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) President.

She slammed the BJP for dividing the country over religion, caste and creed.

"They divide Hindus and Muslims, they divide Hindus and Sikhs and even Hindus. We have to counter this," she said.

Banerjee said she and her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik did not discuss politics during their meeting here.

"Today I paid my homage to late (former Chief Minister) Biju Patnaik. I knew him very well. He was very fond of me. We did not discuss politics. Politics is a 365 days affair... I wished Naveen Patnaik good health and wished his party to do better," she said.

Patnaik said: "It was a courtesy call. We did not discuss politics."

Banerjee, on a three-day visit to Odisha, visited Jagannath Temple at Puri on Wednesday.

She also visited Apollo hospital here to inquire about the condition of TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, arrested for alleged involvement in a chit fund scam.

--IANS

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