Ruling out any possibility of her joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the future, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday called on the Opposition parties to join hands in the greater interest of the nation.
“At the national level, we feel that we must work together in Parliament or anywhere,” Ms. Banerjee said at the India Today Conclave held in Kolkata during the day.
Grand alliance
Asked during the interview whether she sees a grand alliance of the Opposition before 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Trinamool Congress chairperson said, “It depends [on the circumstances].” She cited instances where she met leaders from parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Shiv Sena.
Ms. Banerjee said there was no spirit of “cooperative federalism” as proclaimed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government but “absolutely a super emergency” like situation in the country.
The Chief Minister said the day her party joined the NDA, all the cases against her party leaders by the Central agencies would be withdrawn. “I will not join the NDA. Let them put me in jail,” Ms. Banerjee said.
JD(U) issue
On the issue of the Janata Dal (United) reaching out to the NDA, she said, “One food may be digestible to one. It may not be digestible to me.”
The Chief Minister also criticised demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax and said “both were a disaster for the country.”
West Bengal Chief Minister on Friday said she would make special arrangements for screening Padmavati in the State. “If they cannot do it in any other State they are welcome in my State. Let them come here. We will make special arrangements for them,” she said during the India Today Conclave here.
Ms. Banerjee said that “three or four BJP boys” had tried to create problems, but her government took swift action. “Bengal will welcome, Bengal will be very happy,” she said on the controversy surrounding the film. The Chief Minister said sports and arts should be outside the purview of politics.