West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee moves centre stage in national politics with J&K National Conference leader Omar Abdullah visiting Kolkata and extending cooperation to Didi in forming a Federal Front against the BJP in the 2019 General Election. Abdullah stressed the need for anti-NDA parties closing ranks in spite of whatever minor differences there may be among the constituents. The meeting was significant in view of the vast swathes of land between Kashmir and West Bengal. Abdullah and Mamata Banerjee were united in their resentment against the dictatorial big brotherly attitude of the BJP in various parts of the country. Though the National Conference was not party to it, Abdullah was against BJP high-handedness which led to the fall of the PDP-BJP government in Srinagar bringing in odious and oppressive governor’s rule making and nonsense of Narendra Modi’s talk of Kashmiriyat. With Pakistan’s Prime Minister designate Imran Khan focusing on Kashmir being the core issue in bilateral talks with India, the crisis in the valley had possibly deepened.
Mamata Banerjee referred to Trinamool MP Derek O Brien being threatened by a central BJP minister that Bengal will not be spared if the Trinamool Congress persisted in its anti-BJP stance. This was counter to her conception of a Government of the people, for the people and by the people. She had demonstrated the need for a united opposition on July 21, TMC’s Martyrs day. She had even stated that the Trinamool Congress would win 42 Lok Sabha seats. But unless the opposition parties back her in her home state, the BJP can be up to its tricks with money and muscle power. But her one on one fight against the BJP in every state may not be possible. Mamata Banerjee makes an annual ritual of welcoming turn coats from other parties into the TMC on Martyrs’ Day, July 21. Recently the Rajya Sabha BJP MP, Chandan Mitra who is being sidelined by the BJP leadership has also joined the Trinamool Congress.
What is of concern for Mamata is probably the thin attendance at the rally this year. She attributed it to the fact that a train could not be rented to transport people from various districts to Kolkata. Mamata’s ambitions to lead the country as Prime Minister is not hidden. The problem is that there are other regional satraps with similar ambitions. Will they all agree to be led by one strong leader? And how do they arrive at such a consensus?