TMC-Congress grand-alliance possible: Mamata bats for united Opposition against BJP

Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee at a press conference on demonetisation in late 2016 | PTI Photo

Kolkata: Amid growing calls for a united Opposition against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she's not averse to working with Congress towards a common goal.

The TMC chief expressed confidence that a grand alliance of opposition parties is possible.It's better to work with the Congress to oust the BJP government at the Centre which is behaving like "a hundred Hitlers", said the Trinamool Congress supremo.

Banerjee, who floated the idea of a federal front, has been meeting several regional political leaders to form a strong Opposition alliance against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha 2019 elections.

"They are committing atrocities, inflicting torture. Even some BJP people are not supporting them. They are behaving like a hundred Hitlers," she said to a magazine, as reported by news agency the Press Trust of India. 

The TMC chief expressed confidence that a grand alliance of opposition parties is possible.

Banerjee added that she shares a good rappo with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi but has never worked with Congress President Rahul Gandhi, whom she described as "much junior".

She however dismissed questions on Prime Ministerial ambitions but spoke on all parties working together. 

Banerjee added that she is has no problem working with anybody as long as they are efficient and have clear ideologies.

A faction of West Bengal Congress leaders earlier met President Rahul Gandhi from amid growing divisions in the state unit over allying with the Left or Trinamool Congress for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

According to sources, 41 Congress leaders from the state, including MLAs, MPs, former MPs and chiefs of frontal organisations, met Gandhi and expressed their varied opinions.

Apart from state unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, those who met Gandhi included party MP Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, former MPs Deepa Dasmunsi and Somen Mitra and party MLA Mainul Haque.

While a sizeable section of the party, which includes Chowdhary and Dasmunsi, favours joining hands with the Left parties, there are also leaders who feel that allying with Mamata Banerjee`s Trinamool will be more beneficial for the Congress. 

Meanwhile, the BJP dismissed all talks of "grand alliance" for Lok Sabha 2019 elections as hogwash. 

"The grand alliance is imaginary. Who is going to lead it, what will be its ideology, who will be part of it and who would be left out is not clear," said BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally in West Midnapur district on July 16. 

With agency inputs