No problem if someone else leads anti-BJP front: Mamata

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting at 10, Janpath, the residence of Sonia Gandhi

With Sonia Gandhi and Rahul having a 'chai pe charcha' with her and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying she has "no problem if someone else leads", Opposition unity move got a momentum on Wednesday.

"We discussed the political situation in general. It was a very good and positive meeting. A positive result should come out of it in the near future. It is necessary for everyone to come together to defeat the BJP," Banerjee said after the meeting at 10 Janpath, the official residence of Sonia Gandhi.

Banerjee's meeting with Sonia and Rahul was preceded by a meeting of Rahul with leaders of 14 Opposition parties in Parliament over joint floor strategy to corner the government.

While TMC's absence in this meeting kicked off a talk of a divide in Opposition ranks, Banerjee's party was quick to rule it out. Congress insiders said the party has shown the importance given to Banerjee with the bilateral meeting and nothing more needs to be read out in TMC not being present at the Opposition meeting in Parliament.

At a separate meeting with a select group of journalists, Banerjee, replying to repeated queries on the leadership of an united Opposition front and to a direct question on whether she would lead such a front she said, "I want to help all the Opposition parties to bell the cat. I don't want to be a leader, but a simple cadre."

Read more: Enough of 'ache din', now we need 'sachche din': Mamata continues to attack Modi-led BJP

Pressed further she said, "I am not a political astrologer. It depends on the situation, structure. I have no problem if someone else leads. When the matter is discussed we can decide. I cannot impose."

Earlier, Congress leaders had also made reconciliatory voices, showing the party's keenness to draft in regional satraps from other parties in its larger fight against the BJP and sort of shedding off its insistence on the leadership of Congress for such an alliance even as many insisted on Congress being the "fulcrum" of any Opposition unity move.

Unlike in the past, the Opposition unity move this time has begun nearly three years before the next general election, a very long time in politics with its set of advantages and disadvantages.

The greatest challenge is whether the parties will be able to keep the momentum generated with the hattrick victory of CM Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and how the BJP performs in 2022 elections in seven states, out of which it is in power in six including Uttar Pradesh with 80 Lok Sabha seats.

Aware of the Uttar Pradesh challenge, where the BJP has got over 50 per cent votes in last Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee said if the Opposition leaders concerned have to win against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, they have to come together.

"Poore desh me khela hoga (The game will be played across the country)", said Banerjee whose poll slogan for West Bengal was "Khela Hobe".

"If Bengal could do, so why can the other states not do so?," she asked.

"The BJP may be big in terms of size but from political angle, the Opposition will be stronger than the BJP. They will make history" she said.

Banerjee also spoke to RJD leader Lalu Prasad over phone.

She expressed confidence that more regional parties will take a stand in coming days.

"If all regional parties come together, it will be stronger than one party system," Banerjee said.

"If someone like Mayawati wants to fight alone, she will. What can I do about it? I respect all of them, as much respect as they deserve," she said.

On Tuesday, Banerjee had insisted that the unity of Opposition parties will take shape on its own and "the country will lead the Opposition unity" was her cryptic reply to questions on whether she will lead the Opposition parties.

Also Read — Unity of Oppn parties to take shape on its own: Mamata

Banerjee's meeting with Sonia Gandhi was the focal point of her five-day visit to the national capital during which she also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, her party MPs, an array of Opposition leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and a select group of journalists in the national capital on Wednesday. After the meeting, Kejriwal said he "discussed several political issues with her."

The last in person meeting of Banerjee with Sonia and Rahul had taken place in 2018 amid the buzz of creating a federal front to take on the BJP-led NDA in 2019 general elections. Banerjee had also attended an online meeting called by Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 with seven Opposition Chief Ministers on issues including GST, JEE and NEET.

BJP hits back

As Banerjee met Opposition leaders discussing the Pegasus spyware snooping controversy and the Covid-19 situation and sought to build a common campaign strategy against the government, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra reminded how Opposition leaders -- Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati and others -- were seen together on a stage in Karnataka in 2018.

"Rahul ji, you said the entire Opposition has come together. When was this Opposition not together? Today, Mamata ji is also sipping tea with Sonia ji. You are saying we are all together. Remember how all these leaders of Opposition were hand holding each and saying all of us Opposition leaders will together defeat BJP. Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, two good boys of UP rode a bicycle together in UP (Congress-SP alliance for 2017 UP polls). Before 2019 polls also, all these Opposition parties have come together in West Bengal. What happened after that?" Patra asked.

Raising the "parivaar" charge against Opposition parties, Patra said all these Opposition parties are only keen for the welfare of their families -- be it Congress, TMC, Shiv Sena, RJD or SP.