Mamata thanks CMs, talks to Pawar for supporting her on BJP stand-off

Former BJP stalwart Yashwant Sinha also supported her in this regard

Mamata Banerjee : Telegraph Picture 

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya   |   TT   |   Calcutta   |    21.12.20   :  Mamata Banerjee on Sunday issued a statement to attack the BJP-led Centre over its allegedly brazen interference with the state government’s functioning and thank several key non-BJP leaders for their show of support.

The Bengal chief minister, according to sources close to her, also spoke to NCP chief Sharad Pawar in the morning on the need for non-BJP forces across the country to stick together amid the saffron camp’s “marauding onslaught”.

“Centre is brazenly interfering with State Govt functioning by transferring police officers,” Mamata tweeted, referring to the unilateral transfer of IPS officers from Bengal by the Centre in the wake of the attack on BJP chief J.P. Nadda’s convoy in South 24-Parganas earlier this month.

“My gratitude to @bhupeshbaghel @ArvindKejriwal @capt_amarinder @ashokgehlot51 & @mkstalin for showing solidarity to people of Bengal & reaffirming their commitment to federalism. Thank you!” she added.

Former BJP stalwart Yashwant Sinha has also supported Mamata in this stand-off.

On her talks with Pawar, sources close to her said the NCP leader assured her of not only his party’s support but also that of many key regional players. “They discussed the possibility of a major rally of non-BJP forces in Calcutta next month, like the United India rally at Brigade (Brigade Parade Ground in Calcutta) in January this year…. Pawar has taken up the responsibility...to make it happen,” said a source in Trinamul.

“The discussion took place in the wake of increasing aggression from the BJP and its government at the Centre towards Bengal, amid attempts to engineer defections from our party,” he added.

According to the source, Pawar had told Mamata that the others were in the know and all the non-BJP-ruled states had been facing similar problems.

“They are aware of the sort of things that have been happening during such visits by Amit Shah or J.P. Nadda,” he added.

A senior Trinamul MP said besides Mamata herself, poll consultant Prashant Kishor – handling her party’s assignment in Bengal – has also been actively trying to forge a pan-India alliance between his current and former clients in multiple states.