Modi govt past its expiry date, says Mamata at mega oppn rally

NEW DELHI: Issuing a war cry 'Delhi mein sarkar badal do' (change the government at the Centre), Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday asserted that the "expiry date" of the Modi government is over and a united opposition will win the coming general elections.

In a show of strength ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Mamata, along with several opposition leaders, gathered at Kolkata's historic Bridage Parade Ground today to launch an all out attack on the BJP.

Claiming that BJP's days at the Centre are numbered, she told the mammoth gathering that the "expiry date of the Modi government is over".

Criticising the BJP, she said, "There is courtesy in politics, but BJP does not follow it. Those who are not with BJP are called thieves."

Banerjee also claimed that the BJP does not give respect to many of its own senior leaders and people like Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari are ignored in the saffron party.

"Modi and his associates are now talking of collective leadership, but if BJP wins the Lok Sabha polls these leaders will be ignored again," she said.



The TMC chief assured that the opposition parties will work together and said the prime ministerial face will be decided only after the polls.

"Modi is the Prime Minister and the president in BJP but here everybody is the worker, leader and the organiser," she said.

Noting that the present situation in the country is of "super Emergency", Banerjee said it is worse than that imposed by Indira Gandhi and raised the slogan of 'Badal do, badal do, Delhi mein sarkar badal do' (change the government).

Raising the pitch for a "united" opposition for the Lok Sabha election, several non-BJP leaders took potshots at the Modi government today and urged people to defeat it to save the "democracy".

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the coming together of the SP and the BSP has led to a wave of happiness in the country and left a worried BJP to hold meeting after meeting to devise a strategy to win even one seat in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking at the rally, Yadav also sought to give a reply to the BJP questioning the opposition parties about their prime ministerial candidate.

"They ask, who is PM candidate of opposition parties ... We say people will decide the PM candidate from our side. But from their side, this name (Narendra Modi) has disappointed the country, who is your another name," Yadav asked.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal called upon people to defeat the "dangerous" BJP government at the Centre at any cost.

Stating that the country was at the crossroads of a serious crisis, he said there is a need for immediate change of the Modi government to save the country and democracy.

Lauding Mamata for her clarion call to defeat BJP, Patidar leader Hardik Patel called upon people to fulfil her desire in its true spirit to save the country and democracy.

Addressing the mega rally, Patel said that all non-BJP parties have united here to defeat the BJP government.

"We must save our country and democracy for the welfare of the nation," he said.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the "publicity Prime Minister" and said the nation needs a new Prime Minister who can perform.

"This Prime Minister is a publicity Prime Minister, not a performing Prime Minister. He and his government have betrayed the nation," he said during his address.

Coming down heavily on the Modi government, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha said that this was the first government after Independence which has been playing "mischief" with the developmental statistics.

Sinha, who quit the BJP recently, said that under the present regime while praising the government was "desh bhakti"(patriotism), criticising it is "desh drohi" (sedition).

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah urged the opposition parties to fight the Lok Sabha election together to oust the BJP, not worrying about the issue of prime ministership, which will be settled after the polls.

Abdullah termed the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) a "chor" machine which needs to be replaced with ballot papers.



Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) mulled by opposition parties, calling it a combine of those he prevented from looting India.

Addressing a public function at Silvassa, Modi said, "My actions against corruption made some people angry as I prevented them from looting public money. They have formed the 'mahagathbandhan'."