NCP, TMC say 'hard-working' opposition parties welcome to join them against BJP

Banerjee, Sharad Pawar address the media. Pic/Bipin Kokate

NCP president Sharad Pawar and his TMC counterpart Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that the country needed a strong and acceptable alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party, and that all hard-working opposition parties were welcome to the anti-BJP fold.

West Bengal chief minister Banerjee and Pawar met in Mumbai on Wednesday to discuss the way ahead for the 2024 general elections. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray could not meet her because of health issues, but his son and cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray and party MP Sanjay Raut interacted with her on Tuesday night. Aaditya called it a meeting that will take
things forward.

Addressing the media after his meeting with Banerjee, Pawar said there's no attempt to exclude the Congress from the proposed Opposition front, but to take everyone along. "Whoever is against the BJP is welcome. One who works hard will be part of the alternative," he added. Banerjee reiterated, "One cannot do things alone. We will take the strong, one who fights, with us... I met Sharadji, with whom I have worked with for a long time, to discuss many things." She said since the UPA didn't exist there was no question of Pawar or any other person leading it.

On being asked about Banerjee's veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi, Pawar said, "Mamata didi has beaten the BJP in West Bengal because of her ground work and we appreciate that," he said. "She came here with a positive intention of discussing a possibility of bringing the like-minded parties together against the BJP. Leadership of the Opposition isn't an issue, what we need is a formidable formation that people accept," he added.