Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann at the state secretariat in Nabanna.
Calling it as a “courtesy meeting over the atrocities being carried out by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against all Opposition parties”, Mamata said she will oppose the ordinance that the central government is trying to pass in Rajya Sabha against Delhi government.
Great chance to defeat BJP, says Mamata
“This is a great chance to defeat the BJP before the 2024 General Elections. As the chairperson of the Trinamool Congress, I announce that we will oppose this ordinance against the Delhi government. We will seek justice from the Supreme Court on the matter. It is a matter of six months for the election and if a miracle happens then BJP will go from power,” said Mamata.
Taking further potshots at the central government, the West Bengal Chief Minister alleged that BJP is trying to control the judiciary and central agencies.
Mamata: BJP doesn't respect SC
“They [BJP] want to control the judiciary and the central investigative agencies. This is why we came together and held dialogue on these issues, particularly on the ordinance brought in by the Central government against the Delhi government despite the Supreme Court’s latest verdict [on transfers & postings of officers]. BJP doesn't even respect the Supreme Court's verdict. We can discuss the verdict but not the judge,” further added Mamata.
Delhi Education Minister Atishi Marlena, Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha were also present in the meeting.
"BJP's terrible-engine government"
Calling BJP’s ‘double engine’ government as ‘Trouble-engine’ and ‘Terrible-engine’ government, Mamata mentioned, “We have decided that we will fight unanimously against BJP and safeguard the rights of our people. I am 100% with Arvind ji, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand. We will come together everywhere and more stakeholders will join. If ordinances like this continue, they will topple the State. They cannot do this even if they have the majority.”
Incidentally, Mamata didn’t take the name of Karnataka where recently Congress has formed the government by toppling the saffron camp.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal believes that if the ordinance can be stopped then it will be a ‘semi-final’ before defeating BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
“When we came to power in 2015, within a week with one notification all powers were taken away from us. BJP has made democracy a mockery,” added Kejriwal who will approach other non-BJP leaders urging them to oppose the ordinance in the Upper House.
Mann alleges BJP truing to "Change the Constitution"
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, mentioning about the ‘cordial’ relationship between Punjab and West Bengal, alleged that BJP is trying to "change" the Constitution.
“As the Governor of Punjab had opposed it, I had to move the Supreme Court to hold the budget session. It is a matter of saving the country. Mamata Banerjee has fought a lot and has also won,” added Mann.
