INDIA not staking claim to form government today does not mean it won’t tomorrow: Mamata Banerjee

Emphasising that the country needs change, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that while the Opposition Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc may not have staked claim to form the government today it might do so in the future.

“If the INDIA bloc has not staked a claim to form a government today it doesn’t mean it will not do so in future. I will be happy to see this unstable government [NDA government] go at the earliest,” Ms. Banerjee said addressing media persons at her residence after meeting the newly elected MPs.

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The Trinamool Congress chairperson said that her party will be in a “wait and watch” mode and she would be happy if the “weak and unstable” National Democratic Government (NDA) led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is shunted out of power.

“The country needs change; the country wants change. This mandate was for change. We are waiting and keeping a watch on the situation,” she said.

The Chief Minister said the mandate of the people in this election was against Narendra Modi, so he should not become the Prime Minister this time. “Modi should have left to someone else [to become the Prime Minister] after such a big defeat,” Ms. Banerjee said.

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The BJP secured 240 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election and with the help of allies it is crossing the magic figure of 272. Narendra Modi will take oath as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time on Sunday.

Describing the new government as “weak and unstable”, the Trinamool chairperson said that its MPs will not participate in the swearing in ceremony of the new government. “We will wait and watch who gets what portfolio. Let’s see how long this NDA government lasts. I would be happy to see that this unstable and weak government at the Centre is out of power,” she added.

The Trinamool leadership wants a more proactive role from the INDIA bloc and the party chairperson has been unhappy with Opposition wait and watch mode.

Ms. Banerjee said that in the meeting with MPs they have been directed to oppose the NDA government. “We have told our MPs not to sit in Parliament,” she said.

The Trinamool leadership has retained Sudip Banerjee as the leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Kalyan Banerjee as the Chief Whip of the Parliament. In Rajya Sabha, Derek O’ Brien will be the leader and Sagarika Ghose will be deputy leader.

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Ms. Banerjee also said that the Trinamool MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will seek repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act and stressed that the Centre should release funds pending to the States including West Bengal. She highlighted that her party has the highest number of women MPs in the Lok Sabha at 38%. Of the 29 Lok Sabha MPs of Trinamool, 11 are women.

The Trinamool chairperson did not specify whether she will be visiting New Delhi in next few days but urged the INDIA bloc parties to hold a meeting in Kolkata.