Mamata tries to rally regional parties to form federal front without Cong to take on BJP

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today pitched for forming a "federal front" excluding the Congress to defeat the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a "one-to-one" fight in the states, as she met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and leaders of other regional parties like TDP, SP, RJD, BJD, NC and NDA's Shiv Sena.

Banerjee, who is in Delhi for three days, had an hour-long meeting with the NCP chief and other party leaders at his office in Parliament.

Pawar had earlier denied that a meeting over dinner with opposition parties was scheduled.

"There is no meeting, there is no dinner," Pawar had said in response to a question whether there will be a dinner meeting with the West Bengal chief minister.

According to a senior NCP leader, Banerjee favoured forming a "federal front" to defeat the BJP without involving the Congress.

"She said that a non-Congress federal front should be formed to take on the BJP in the assembly as well as the Lok Sabha elections. She feels that if the Congress becomes a part of the opposition front, then many parties like the BJD, TDP would not join the alliance. But she urged the NCP leader to also speak to other opposition parties to know their views," NCP leader said.

Later NCP leader Praful Patel, while briefing media on the meeting, said that both the leaders agreed that there should be "maximum unity" among opposition parties to take on the BJP.

"The situation will evolve in the coming months for assembly and Lok Sabha polls. There are of course a lot of different views on what kind of approach should be taken.

"But certainly what the leaders discussed was that opposition unity should be maximum possible as has been witnessed today in Uttar Pradesh where the BSP and the SP have started working together and therefore it is important that political differences among opposition should be resolved,"Patel told reporters.

Banerjee, who also met other leaders from opposition parties like TDP, which recently walked out of the BJP-led NDA over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh, TRS, SP, RJD, BJD, NC and JMM, once again emphasised that the need of the hour is have a state-wise strategy to defeat the BJP.

She also met Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut along with other Sena members of Parliament triggering speculation in political circles. The Sena, though a part of the ruling NDA, has been critical of Maharashtra and central governments.

"All opposition parties should work together. It should be a one-to-one fight against the BJP. All opposition parties should help the strongest one in the state against the BJP," Banerjee told reporters.

On the issue of opposition unity, Banerjee hailed the alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh and said that all opposition parties should come together to help the alliance.

"If Akhilesh and Mayawati call a meeting in Lucknow, we will all go. We should help the parties where they are strong," she said.

Raut denied that Shiv Sena was joining any front, but said that the Shiv Sena and Banerjee have "a very warm" relationship and there were certain things which Banerjee wanted to convey to Uddhav Thackeray.

Banerjee later said that she "respects" Shiv Sena.

"At least it does not do politics with a gun in their hand. There is no party more communal than the BJP," Banerjee told reporters after the meeting.

The West Bengal chief minister will also meet rebel BJP leaders Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha and former Union minister Arun Shourie tomorrow.

Though Banerjee is said to be favouring a Front without the Congress, she did say she was in touch with Rahul Gandhi. TMC leaders said she is planning to meet Sonia Gandhi.

Replying to a query, Banerjee told reporters that she has been exchanging messages with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.