New Delhi: Using the twin issues of foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail and diesel price hike to target the Congress-led UPA Government, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday exhorted chief ministers of all the states to join her in her battle. Targeting the Centre over FDI and fuel price hike, the West Bengal Chief Minister warned of a new front to take on the Congress while blaming it of not paying any attention to the miseries of the common man.
Talking about her future course of action, Mamata said she would hold a rally against the government across the country. Seeking the support of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, Mamata outlined her roadmap which included rallies in Patna and Lucknow over the next few weeks.
Attacking the Congress for claiming that her support base was limited to West Bengal, the feisty leader alleged that since anti-people policies were being framed in Delhi so her battle against the UPA would also being from the national capital.
Addressing an anti-FDI rally at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, the Trinamool Congress chief threatened a no-confidence motion against the government in the next session of Parliament if Mulayam was willing to support it, saying the UPA government was selling the country in the name of FDI in retail.
In a bid to strike a chord with the common man, the Trinamool Chief also crooned ‘Aye Mere Watan ke Logon" while sharing the stage with Sharad Yadav, who said that he had come as a common man and not as a representative of any political front. She also claimed that attempts had been made to disrupt her rally while asking the security personnel to throw out a man, who she said was trying to create disturbance.
Mamata's party is now slated to hold another dharna on November 19 and 20 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Speaking at the rally, Mamata further said, "We will also hold a rally on November 17 in Lucknow where we will invite Mulayam Singh, Akhilesh Yadav and Sharad Yadav."
Mamata said that she had "heard" that the general elections could be advanced and held in March next year. "We also don't want this government. If need be, we are ready for bringing a no-confidence motion against this government," the West Bengal Chief Minister said while launching an all-out attack on the Congress-led UPA government. Trinamool Congress, which has withdrawn support to the government, has 19 MPs in Lok Sabha.
Mamata, whose party organised the protest against FDI in retail, diesel price hike and LPG cap, said she could also bring a resolution against these decisions.
"I have heard that elections will happen in March. I am ready for a resolution," she said. She also appealed to other political parties not to support the government and asked them to support her party's resolution against the recent decisions on FDI and other issues.
"I am ready to work with other parties to bring a resolution against the government in the next session of Parliament...I would request other political parties not to support this government," she said.
NDA convenor Sharad Yadav, while addressing the rally, showered praises on the West Bengal Chief Minister calling her a Tigress.
He said, "She is the Tiger of Bengal. What she has done no one has ever and can do. I congratulate her, I salute you. I am not representing any party. Mamata asked me to come and I came to support her."
However, the government tried to downplay the threats by Mamata claiming that she did not have much presence beyond West Bengal.
When asked about Mamata bringing her fight against FDI to Delhi, Congress leader and Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid said, "I don't think Mamata has a presence beyond Bengal. It is not easy…even Modi has not managed to spread himself, and he belongs to a pan-India party.
(With Additional Inputs from PTI)
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