Kolkata: A day after meeting West Bengal CM Mamta, former J&K CM and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that the parties in the federal front need to let go off their differences and cooperate to win against the saffron party in the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
“We will try, as far as possible, to set aside whatever little differences we have and put the best foot forward in terms of taking the fight to the BJP in 2019. My party and Mamata Didi’s party have got no differences to set aside,” Abdullah stated after the meeting, Indian Express reported.
When asked if Congress is the party he looks forward to working with Abdullah said, “Our effort will be to take along all parties that are fighting the BJP right now.”
Meanwhile, Banerjee said, “All regional parties, who are against the BJP, are working together. One or two parties may have their own state compulsions. That’s a different issue.”
“Let’s sacrifice everything for our country because we cannot sacrifice our people. This way in 2019 we will have a government for the people, of the people and by the people. The current Union government is constantly resorting to arm-twisting strategies to silence the Opposition’s views. Just a few days back, our MP Derek O’Brien was threatened by a central minister that if Trinamool continues to raise anti-BJP issues, Bengal will not be spared. This should end and hence a united Opposition against the BJP is required in 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” she stated.
When Abdullah was how this strategy of fighting BJP in every state will go he replied, “I cannot say whether it will be possible in every state.”
He further said, “We don’t have a representative in the Rajya Sabha. Didi asked my friend Derek O’Brien to raise issues in the Rajya Sabha. These are the small things that the parties can do for each other to make the federal front a reality.”
He also mentioned that issues concerning the people, including the “fear among the minority community”, were also discussed with Banerjee but both the leaders refused to answer questions posed to them on Prime Ministerial candidate.
While Mamta Banerjee is on the move to discuss the proposed front with other political parties as well.