- Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
AT a time when political circles in India are abuzz with the possibility of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee emerging as the face of the Opposition to take on Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the general elections of 2024, the leader herself has remained ambivalent saying everything depends on the given situation.
The 66-year-old firebrand leader, whose Trinamool Congress (TMC) humbled Modi’s BJP in elections in her state in May, said on Wednesday (28) that she was open to helping all opposition parties “to bell the cat”. “I don’t want to be a leader, but a simple cadre,” she said on the leadership issue.
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“I am not a political astrologer. It depends on the situation, structure. I have no problem if someone else leads. When the matter is discussed we can decide. I cannot impose,” Banerjee told a select group of reporters here when asked if she would be the face of the Opposition.
She also spoke on the ongoing Pegasus snooping controversy, saying the current situation was more serious than Emergency and accused the Modi government of being unresponsive.
“Everywhere they are sending ED, IT for raids. Here there is no response. In a democracy, the government has to respond. The situation is very serious, it’s more serious than the emergency,” Banerjee said.
She also took a dig at the BJP slogan of “acche din” (good days) that are often said in connection to the Modi era. “I want to see sachcha din, bahut accha din dekh liya (I want to see the real days, have seen enough of good days),” she said.
On Tuesday (27), Banerjee said the unity of the anti-Modi forces will take shape on its own.
Banerjee is currently in New Delhi where she has been meeting a number of opposition leaders besides prime minister Modi himself over administrative issues.
