Mumbai: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday stated that Mamata Banerjee is trying to form a third front without involving the Congress party to fight against the BJP in 2024 general election.
Speaking to media persons here, Mr Fadnavis said, “Mamata didi is speaking straight forward, but NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is speaking in between the lines, meaning of both statement is the same.”
“Mr Pawar cannot speak straight because the NCP has problem in state. It needs support of Congress in Maharashtra that is why Mr Pawar cannot speak clearly,” he averred.
Reacting on Ms Banerjee's visit to Maharashtra, he said, “During my tenure as Maharashtra CM, we welcomed all the CMs in state. There is nothing wrong to welcome chief minister of other state.”
“But it is objectionable that if the BJP-ruled state Chief Minister comes and the present state government criticizes, which is wrong,” he underscored.
Meanwhile, election strategist Prashant Kishore commented that the Congress has lost 90 per cent of the elections in the country during last 10 years, hence it does not have any locus standi to lead the opposition, he asserted.
On Wednesday, Ms Banerjee met NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and later made a stinging remark, saying “there is no UPA now.”
The statement has attracted reactions from various political quarters, with the Maharashtra Congress unit declaring that the nation's oldest party is the only alternative for the “dictatorial BJP”. (UNI)