Mamata Banerjee Leads Opposition Rally Against Modi. Congress Disturbed
The ‘United India Rally’ called by Mamata Banerjee is virtually challenging the dominance of Congress in the pre-poll alliance of opposition parties.
By Rakesh Raman
West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee – who is a fierce critic of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi – is holding a mega opposition rally in Kolkata today with the aim to defeat Modi’s BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
Mamata Banerjee – who is a strong contender for the PM position – says that today’s rally will ring the death knell for Modi’s BJP in the Lok Sabha election scheduled to take place after a few months.
Ms. Banerjee believes that Modi is not fully qualified to be the PM of India and said recently that Modi can’t speak a line in English properly and needs constant help from a teleprompter.
With a pledge to dethrone Modi, Ms. Banerjee has been leading major campaigns to attack Modi and his policies including demonetization. Earlier, her party All India Trinamool Congress also launched protests across the state with the slogan ‘Modi hatao, Desh bachao’ or (dethrone Modi, save the country).
This article is part of our exclusive editorial section that focuses on Lok Sabha election 2019. Click here to visit the section.
Political leaders from different parties are expected to participate in today’s ‘United India Rally’ led by Ms. Banerjee who believes that regional parties – instead of a monolithic party such as Congress – can defeat BJP.
The leaders who are expected to attend the rally include former BJP ministers Arun Shourie, Yashwant Sinha, and Shatrughan Sinha who vehemently oppose Modi and his government.
Only few hours to go for the historic ‘United India Rally’ at Brigade Parade Grounds. I welcome all national leaders, supporters and lakhs of people to participate in today’s rally to pledge to build a stronger, progressive and united India #UnitedIndiaAtBrigade
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 19, 2019
Among others who will be attending the event are Akhilesh Yadav, former Jammu and Kashmir CMs Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, former PM HD Deve Gowda and his son and Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, Delhi CM Arvind Kerjiwal, and Lalu Prasad’s son Tejashwi Yadav.
As the ‘United India Rally’ called by Ms. Banerjee is virtually challenging the dominance of Congress in the pre-poll alliance of opposition parties, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi will not be present at the rally. Instead, Congress will be represented by Mallikarjun Kharge.
Obviously, Congress is not comfortable with this campaign against Modi because Rahul Gandhi – who is being projected as the next PM of India – is not in the driver’s seat.
Congress President @RahulGandhi writes to @MamataOfficial to extend his support & send a powerful message of a united India. pic.twitter.com/bf9taiTxle
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 18, 2019
However, Rahul Gandhi sent a matter-of-fact letter to Ms. Banerjee saying he extends support to her initiative.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society. He also creates and publishes a number of digital publications on different subjects.
Photo courtesy: All India Trinamool Congress
