A challenger rises in the East

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, headlining the Opposition rally in Kolkata on Saturday with the clarion call “Badal do, badal do, Delhi mein sarkar badal do”, took the fight directly to the BJP as she said that the expiry date for the Narendra Modi government is here and the “United India” rally, attended by more than 20 top Opposition leaders, marks the beginning of its end.

Addressing the rally at the historic Brigade Parade Ground, Ms Banerjee struck a tone of unity saying that the PM candidate would be decided after the elections since there is no dearth of leaders in the “United India” gathbandhan.

“Who will be the Prime Minister can be decided after the Lok Sabha elections,” she said.

But the clear message that emerged from her mega rally was that the Trinamul Congress chief was ready for the most coveted office in national politics — that of the Prime Minister.

However, inspired by the massive crowd that had thronged to the rally, Ms Banerjee let it slip that the formation of a new government with the BJP’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections would be celebrated at the Brigade Ground.

“It is the beginning of the end of the BJP from today. Remember, when the country will see a change in future and a new government will be formed we will then organise a rally at the Brigade again to thank Maa, Mati, Manush,” she said.

Turning to the leaders on the dais she added, “And I will invite all of you. Please join us after the victory in the election because there will be a change in India. Nobody can stop it. It is the people’s verdict… They are the expired government.”

As Ms Banerjee led the Opposition’s charge with her slogan “Delhi Chalo”, she was flanked by three present chief ministers, Arvind Kejriwal, N. Chandrababu Naidu and H.D. Kumaraswamy; former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Akhilesh Yadav and Gegong Apang; NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, DMK chief M.K. Stalin, BSP’s Satish Mishra and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav; former Union ministers and BJP rebels Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Arun Shourie. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and Patidar leaderHardik Patel were also present on the dais.

Missing in action were Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati, the other two most probable PM faces from the Opposition.

Though both parties had sent senior leaders to represent their parties, their absence spoke out loud. The Congress was represented by senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

“Sometimes someone points out: Who will be our leader? We have so many leaders. The BJP has become leaderless. They have only a PM and a party president. But in our coalition, everyone is a leader, worker and organiser… I will request Chandrababu Naidu to organise a meeting in his state. Let Arvind Kejriwal hold a meeting in New Delhi. We will attend it. If Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar call a meeting in Kashmir, they can call us. We will go. We will also go to Assam,” Ms Banerjee said.

Noting that the present situation in the country is of “super Emergency”, Ms Banerjee said, that the BJP does not give respect to many of its own senior leaders and people like Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari are ignored in the saffron party.

“Modi and his associates are now talking of collective leadership, but if BJP wins the Lok Sabha polls these leaders will be ignored again,” she said.

One by one all the Opposition leaders present addressed the rally.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said people’s rights were under threat as he attacked the Centre for curtailing people’s rights. He said the 2019 Lok Sabha elections would see a fight between the alliance of the BJP, CBI and ED on one hand and the Mahagathbandhan on the other.

“BJP ne CBI, ED and baki agencies ke saath bhi gathbandhan kiya hai (Not just the CBI, ED but the BJP has formed an alliance with other Central investigative agencies). And they know how to use them to their benefit,” Mr Yadav said.

Congress’s leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said party president Rahul Gandhi and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi had sent their good wishes for the rally. Reading out a message from Mrs Gandhi, he said, “Till we (Opposition parties) unite, we will have to continue seeing Modi and Shah trample on democracy and the secular values of the country.”

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oft-repeated statement “na khaunga na khane dunga”, Mr Kharge said, “He himself is not eating, but he is allowing Adani, Ambani and his corporate friends to benefit.”  

At the end of his speech, Mr Kharge said in Hindi, “Manzil door hain, rasta kathin hain, phir bhi pahuchna hain. Dil mile na mile, kamse kam haath mila kar chalo (The destination is far and the road is difficult but still, we have to reach there. Whether our hearts meet or not, we should walk holding hands).”

In his speech, former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah insisted on the return of the ballot paper for a fair selection process. Calling the electronic voting machine (EVM) a “thief”, the National Conference leader said no country in the world uses this machine.

“EVM is a chor machine. We should meet the Election Commission of India and the President to urge them to stop the use of EVMs,” Mr Abdullah said.

Most Opposition parties have demanded that paper ballots be brought back in the next Lok Sabha elections alleging that the EVMs can be tampered with.

Mr Abdullah also accused the BJP of “dividing people on the basis of religion”.

“People are being branded as Pakistanis. But all people — right from Ladakh to elsewhere — want to be part of India. I am a Muslim and I love India, my country,” he said.

Rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha stepped up his attack on the Centre over the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal.

Urging Prime Minister Modi to “clarify why he scrapped a deal for 126 aircraft and signed a new one for only 36, and why the price of each aircraft had jumped by over 41 per cent in the new deal, he said, “The Opposition has a few questions for you. Until you answer them, people will continue to say that chowkidaar chor hai (the watchman is a thief).”

“My elder brother Yashwant Sinha said after this I will be definitely removed from the party, I told him ‘koi baat nahi hai’ (no problem),” Mr Sinha added.

Former Union minister Arun Shourie asked the Opposition to work together to throw out the BJP government at the Centre in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Referring to Ms Banerjee as “Bengal Tigress”, he said, “The Bengal tigress has given the call to oust BJP. I am sure it will be successful.”

M.K. Stalin of the DMK said Mr Modi is “afraid of a few people,” among them is “iron lady” Mamata Banerjee.