Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh urged for unity among opposition parties to combat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's skepticism about the Congress' electoral prospects.
Ramesh, speaking at Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Godda, emphasized the importance of collective action against the BJP. He underscored that despite recent discord, it was imperative for all parties to join forces in the opposition bloc INDIA, comprising 27 parties, to challenge the ruling BJP.
"We are assuming that she (Mamata Banerjee) is still part of the INDIA bloc, a group of 27 parties. Her priority, she claims, is to fight the BJP. Our priority is also to fight the BJP. I think it is better if we all come together, Ramesh stated.
We were together in Patna, in Bengaluru and Mumbai. But, something seems to have happened. First, Shiv Sena split, then Nitish Kumar did his Palti. Now, Mamata Banerjee ji is making these comments. I think we should realise this is not local-level elections, he told PTI Video.
Banerjee's remarks at a dharna in Kolkata on Friday, where she expressed doubt about the Congress' ability to secure significant seats if they contested 300 constituencies against the BJP, prompted further discussion on opposition strategy.
I proposed that Congress contest 300 seats (across the country where BJP is the main opposition), but they refused to heed. I doubt whether they will secure even 40 seats if they contested 300, Banerjee had stated.