Mamata to preside over Opposition's 'dethrone BJP' rally in Kolkata tomorrow

While Kolkata streets are almost smothered by the visages of the West Bengal Chief Minister in the trademark style of the Trinamool Congress supremo, as not a nook and corner has been spared to publicise the rally and its architect- read Mamata Banerjee- the Brigade rally is expected to host several anti-BJP and anti-Modi leaders from different parts of India, besides perhaps a few who are BJP rebels or renegades.

The Chief Minister however has termed the rally as "United India Rally" even as political pundits view it as the pitching of the Bengal CM as a probable PM alternative if the BJP failed to return to power with majority or a fractured mandate gives the Opposition to keep BJP out of power.

In several street corner meetings, the tenor of the speeches ahead of the rally was not only attacking Modi and his policies but also projecting the CM as the next PM.

On Friday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is skipping the rally, has interestingly sent a letter to Mamata supporting the political programme.

Referring to TMC supremo as "Mamata Di", Rahul said in a letter, "We commend the great people of Bengal who have historically been at the forefront of defending our ideals.

"I extend my support to Mamata Di on this show of unity and hope that we send a powerful message of a united India together."

Two Congress leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, will also attend the event as their party representatives.

Though the Left, not surprisingly, ignored the rally of its arch-rival TMC, India's powerful regional leaders like Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, DMK's MK Stalin, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers, Farooq and Omar Abdullah, are likely to attend the meeting.

Mamata, who went to the rally spot for an inspection on Thursday evening, compared Saturday's public meeting with that of former West Bengal Chief Minister late Jyoti Basu's one which was organised way back in 1989.

"I think all the leaders are coming. It is a platform to fight the 2019 battle against BJP. Every political party will give their message. Earlier in 1989, when Jyoti Basu was alive, he organised a rally that time. But the rally was not that big..... this one will also be historic and a mega rally," she said.

Rebel BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha, who has virtually dodged the question of Mamata as the Prime Minister, is not missing the opportunity to share the dais with opposition leaders to further corner his own party as he has been doing for quite sometime.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, who is considered to be the front-runner for the Prime Ministerial post if the so-called United Opposition comes to power, is sending her senior party leader Satish Mishra to be present at the TMC's rally.

Though the TMC supporters are not backing down from raising slogans to make Mamata the next Prime Minister, West Bengal's "Didi" played humble on Thursday saying, ".....I won't say anything this time, let all the leaders decide. I am waiting for others to speak. I will listen to others and won't impose my opinion on them because it is a democratic system."

When Congress chief Rahul is trying to portray a united picture of Opposition, Mamata reminded the country's oldest political outfit that it is the club of regional parties which will be a "factor" in the 2019 General Elections.

Almost predicting the number of seats the BJP could get, the TMC chief said: "I don't think the BJP will get more than 125. Even if they get 125, it is enough."

Responding to a question about the BJP's dig at the United Opposition, Mamata said: "Don't worry. Every political party has individual vision, philosophy and compulsion. I don't think there will be a problem. It will be the unity of people."

Current picture of United Opposition:

The TMC's rally will be held exactly a week after arch rivals- Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)- joined hands in Uttar Pradesh to stop the Narendra Modi juggernaut. However, the SP and BSP left out Congress accusing it of not transferring votes to its allies in polls.

Talks are also going on between the Congress and NCP to fight in equal number of seats in Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh, the SP and BSP will contest in 38 seats each, leaving Amethi and Rae Bareli seats, which are the Congress' strongholds.

In Bihar, the RJD is going to fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with the Congress and other smaller parties, in a direct contest with the Janata Dal (United)-BJP alliance.