Mission 'federal front': Mamata hates BJP, but doesn't love Congress either

Mamata's Banerjee's four-day visit to Delhi being seen as bid to assemble forces against BJP in the 2019 general elections

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and leaders of some regional parties as well as National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally Shiv Sena to explore a "federal front" option to take on the BJP in the next Lok Sabha polls, mooting a "one-to-one" fight in all the states.

The TMC supremo sought to rally the regional parties against the NDA even as Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who mooted a non-Congress, non-BJP coalition in national politics, said the alternative being proposed by him would be a "people's front of India".

Coming down heavily on the NDA-led Centre, Banerjee said issues like demonetisation and bank frauds have affected people at the grassroots level and that it was time for the BJP to "pack up and go".

She also met Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. BJP's embittered ally in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena has announced to break the alliance before the general elections 2019.

The details of the meetings, which come at a time when opposition parties as well as former government ally Telugu Desam party (TDP), have come together to move no-confidence motions in the Lok Sabha, was not shared.

"When political people meet then, of course, they will discuss politics, there is nothing to hide in that. The Lok Sabha election of 2019 will certainly be very interesting," Mamata Banerjee said, according to news agency IANS.

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

Mamata’s Banerjee’s four-day visit to the national capital is being seen as a bid to assemble forces against the BJP, in the run up to the 2019 general elections. She will be leaving for Kolkata on Thursday.

Referring to media owners, she said the coverage of politics was one-sided. "You should understand democracy is for both the sides."

Here are the top 10 developments of the Mamata Banerjee’s Third-Front alliance:

1. Mamata anti-Congress? 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.

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.

ALSO READ: Mamata meets Pawar, oppn leaders; explores federal front option, says time for BJP to 'pack up and go'

2. Why is Mamata Banerjee in Delhi: There have been suggestions that the opposition parties should put up common candidates against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In view of this, Mamata Banerjee has come to Delhi and is set to unite the Opposition and meet parties from Shiv Sena, TDP, TRS as well as certain members from BJP. 

Referring to parties like the DMK, TDP and TRS led by Telangana Chief Minister Rao, Lalu Prasad's RJD in Bihar and Naveen Patnaik in Odisha, she said each party has to be helped to get together against BJP.

"We should find such a mechanism that it is one is to one (fight)," she said and added that Pawar was also of the same opinion.

When political people meet then of course they will discuss politics, there is nothing to hide in that. The Lok Sabha election of 2019 will certainly be very interesting: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after meeting leaders of NCP, Shiv Sena & RJD pic.twitter.com/V3zBZudP7U

— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2018

3. Mamata meets Shiv Sena leader: Mamata Banerjee today met Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, triggering speculations of an alliance in the political circles. Raut, however, denied that his party was joining any front.

"The Shiv Sena and Mamata Banerjee have a very warm relationship. There were certain things which Mamata ji wanted to convey to Uddhav ji (Thackeray, president of the Shiv Sena)," he said.

The Sena leader declined to elaborate further on the meeting.

"I respect 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 said, according to news agency PTI.

This is not the first time Mamata has met a Shiv Sena leader. Last year, Uddhav Thackeray met Banerjee when the latter was in Mumbai.

4. ‘BJP uses and misuses’: Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led NDA government of "using and misusing" all agencies, including the Election Commission (EC).

Banerjee, while speaking on the issue of the leaked Karnataka election date, lashed out at the ruling party and said all institutions were being transformed into "BJP institutions".

"All agencies are being used and misused. All institutions are becoming BJP institutions," Mamata Banerjee said.

BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya had earlier today tweeted the date of the Karnataka Assembly elections before EC announced it, prompting the panel to describe the leak as a "very serious issue" that merited a probe and "stringent action". 

5. On demonetisation and bank frauds: Banerjee, who is in Delhi to meet various leaders of opposition parties to form a Third Front against the BJP, also attacked the ruling party for demonetisation and bank frauds.

"People are against the BJP. I have travelled to all the states. I know the mood of the people. Issues like demonetisation, GST, bank fraud have affected people even at the grassroot level. The time has come for this BJP to pack up and go," she said. 

6. Mamata calls for unity: She asserted that all opposition parties should work together to oust the saffron party.

"We want all opposition parties to work together. We should help the strongest opposition party in state to fight the BJP. It should be one fight,” said Mamata Banerjee.

Delhi: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee met RJD MP Misa Bharti in Parliament pic.twitter.com/lqEJVU1riF

— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2018

7. Banerjee having dinner with Pawat? Although Mamata Banerjee is also scheduled to attend a dinner meet hosted by Sharad Pawar, the latter had brushed off such reports earlier in the day saying, "There is no meeting, there is no dinner."

During her meeting with Pawar, Banerjee is expected to discuss the current political situation. Pawar had convened a meeting of opposition parties in January this year. 

8. Mamata to meet Sonia soon: As reported earlier, Mamata Banerjee was set to meet Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday. However, due to Sonia’s health complications, the exact date of the meeting is not known as of now. 

“Yes, Sonia ji is unwell right now and recovering, will meet her once she is fine,” said Banerjee. Asked whether she will meet Rahul Gandhi, Banerjee said: "I have already said about Sonia... Rahul also SMSs and we talk. There is no problem."

Mamata Banerjee is set to meet Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie tomorrow. 

Tomorrow will meet senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and others, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (file pic) pic.twitter.com/5jl5HzOvz6

— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2018

9. To meet Mayawati, Akhilesh? The TMC chief said she would “certainly go if they (Mayawati-Akhilesh Yadav) call us for a meeting to Lucknow.” She pitched for Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party coming together in Uttar Pradesh and favoured the strongest party in each state taking the lead in taking on the BJP.

"We want to work together. We do not want anyone should be isolated. Everyone should work together. The party that is strong, it should do it (take the lead). If Mayawatiji and Akhilesh are strong in UP, they should work together. We should help them," she said.

ALSO READ: Mamata pitches for one-to-one contest against BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls

10. On Karnataka election: Mamata Banerjee suggested that the Congress should not treat like-minded parties like it did in Tripura. She favoured Congress and Janata Dal-Secular coming together.

"It depends what relationship you have. We offered to fight the Tripura polls together with Congress. It is their prerogative what they do. They have not done. We want that the Congress should have good relations with H D Deve Gowda in Karnataka. Why should relation break?

"Deve Gowdaji was Prime Minister and supported by Congress also. He is a good man. There should be an adjustment. But I cannot tell the Congress. But if you ask my opinion, as a layman, I will say that. I will tell you for better interest."