'Regional parties will be deciding factor in LS Polls'

Regional parties will be the deciding factor in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday. She also said that BJP will not get more than 125 seats.

"I don't know how many sets Congress will get. It depends on the election. BJP I don't think will get more than 125 seats this time. Federal or state parties will be the deciding factor this time," said Banerjee.

She was speaking to reporters at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata where she came to inspect the arrangements for Trinamool Congress' (TMC) mega rally on Saturday. The Chief Minister said that BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra will also attend the rally.

Asked whether the rally will play a key role in the formation of Mahagatbandhan the Mamata said that it will be a platform to fight against the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

"It is a platform to fight against the BJP in the 2019 elections. Every party will give their message to the people," said Banerjee.

She also said that the invited party leaders will start arriving in Kolkata from Friday. However, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav will reach Kolkata on Saturday due to some prior engagements. She also confirmed that former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Gegong Apang will be attending the rally.

However, the state BJP leadership questioned her comments regarding opposition leaders attending the TMC rally. "It remains to be seen how many opposition leaders actually attend her rally, "said State BJP president Dilip Ghosh.