Mamata Banerjee
2024 elections: Mamata Banerjee proposes opposition unity with support for Congress after Karnataka win
Kolkata/IBNS: The Karnataka Assembly polls result has left the opposition camp to rethink their stand in considering the role of Congress in the general elections next year with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee pledging support to the grand old party.
The Trinamool chief has often called for opposition unity but also blamed the Congress for rallying against her party and helping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal.
Banerjee had earlier announced that the Trinamool Congress would go it alone in Bengal.
Speaking at a press conference, Banerjee Monday proposed a working solution for the opposition parties to resolve differences including Congress.
"Wherever regional parties are strong, the BJP cannot fight. The Karnataka verdict is a verdict against the BJP. People are antagonised. Atrocities are happening. The economy is ruined. Democratic rights are being bulldozed and even the wrestlers are not being spared," the TMC supremo said.
The Congress on Saturday registered a massive victory in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly polls, by winning 135 seats. The BJP bagged 65 and JD(S) got 19 seats.
Pitching her new strategy, Mamata Banerjee said, "In this situation, Whoever is strong in some place, in their region, they should fight together. Let's take Bengal. In Bengal, we (Trinamool) should fight. In Delhi, AAP should fight. In Bihar, they are together. Nitishji (Nitish Kumar), Tejashwi (Yadav) and Congress are together. They will decide. I cannot decide on their formula. In Chennai, they (MK Stalin's DMK and the Congress) have a friendship and they can fight together. In Jharkhand also, they (JMM-Congress) are together and in other states also. So it is their choice."
However, Banerjee made it clear that while regional parties should take on the BJP in their strongholds, Congress should focus on winning its own seats.
"But I think wherever the regional parties are strong, whether it's UP, Bihar or Odisha, or Bengal, or Jharkhand or Andhra Pradesh or Telangana, there are so many states, the strong party must be given priority. And wherever Congress is strong in their 200 seats or something, what we have calculated, let them fight and we will support them."
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