Uddhav Thackeray and Mamata Banerjee meet, GST and demonetisation on table

“We also discussed on taking ahead the proposal for Kolkata and Mumbai municipal corporations on the concept of sister cities,” Uddhav Thackeray said. (Source: ANI)

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday held an hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the BJP government’s economic policies such as GST and demonetisation are believed to have come up.

The development is being seen as a meeting of regional parties to form a pressure group against the BJP before the 2019 general elections.

Thackeray said his meeting was a “courtesy call”. “There are areas of common concern on policy issues. We were the first ones to voice our protest against the GST and demonetisation. So has Trinamool Congress expressed concerns over these issues,” he said, adding that meeting should not be perceived as political ploy against the BJP.

“We also discussed on taking ahead the proposal for Kolkata and Mumbai municipal corporations on the concept of sister cities,” he said.

A close aide of Mamata said: “The discussions veered around the Modi government’s economic policies, which have generated unrest among people.” The aide mentioned “GST, demonetisation” as the issues that were discussed.

During the meeting, Thackeray reportedly highlighted his party’s protests against the BJP government in Maharashtra. The aide said Mamata was the first leader in the country to protest against economic reforms of the Centre by tweeting against demonetisation and GST. “The Shiv Sena and TMC, despite huge ideological differences, have resumed a dialogue as they perceive the BJP to be their main political rival in the 2019 elections,” a source in Bengal said.

“The TMC is alarmed at the BJP’s attempts to make inroads in West Bengal. The resignation of Trinamool Congress (MP) Mukul Roy is perceived as a handiwork of the BJP,” a political observer said. In Maharashtra, on the other hand, the Sena fears that the BJP, by allowing Narayan Rane’s Maharashtra Swabhimani Party to join the NDA, has compounded their problems in Konkan region.

A source in Trinamool said, “In politics, the enemy’s enemy is a friend. Sena and Trinamool talks should be perceived in that context. Mamata is emerging as the leader of the regional forces who are not very happy with the BJP.”

However, Trinamool leaders also have concerns about the Sena. A second-rung leader said, ” You cannot fight a battle against the BJP when you are enjoying power with them in Centre (NDA) and Maharashtra. Trinamool Congress will have to face uncomfortable questions.” Second, the Sena’s anti-minorities politics,. specially their drive against Bangladeshis, also has Trinamool leaders worried.

A senior Trinamool functionary said: “In West Bengal, we have a sizeable minority population, which will never not accept the Sena style of politics.”

However, a Sena leader said, “Sena and Trinamool are not working to strike an electoral alliance. Sena has no base in Bengal nor Trinamool in Maharashtra. Their bonding is confined to anti-Modi policies and politics.”