Mamata Banerjee mega rally: TMC chief says BJP is acting like a ‘boss’, their ‘expiry date’ has come

Background

Kolkata: In wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's United Opposition mega rally began in  Kolkata's Brigade Ground on Saturday morning, witnessing  top Opposition leaders sharing the dias on a single platform, showcasing a collective front against the ruling BJP.

The 'United India rally' was attended by many eminent leaders, including former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Arun Shourie; three present chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Chandrababu Naidu and H D Kumaraswamy; and former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Akhilesh Yadav and Gegong Apang.

However, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati did not share the stage with Opposition leaders at the big anti-BJP show. In their absence, senior leaders from both the parties shall be attending the meeting.

Addressing the rally, Gegong Apang, former CM of Arunachal Pradesh lashed out the Modi government saying that the last four years have been testing times for Indian democracy. Stepping up the anti against the BJP government, JMM leader Hemant Soren said that all institutions are under attack under the Modi govt. Their regime should be uprooted not just from the centre but from every state.

Pu Lalduhoma of Mizoram’s  Zoram Nationalist Party expressed concern over the safety of minorities by saying that minorities are not safe under the incumbent government. Hence, this rally has been organised for a purpose. Citizenship Bill has to be withdrawn or exemption has to be given to the North East

#WestBengal: Crowds begin to gather for TMC led 'United India' rally in #Kolkata, today. pic.twitter.com/hGtObQM6VG

— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2019

With Bharatiya Janata Party's recent defeats in the Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Mamata Banerjee has stepped up her efforts to stitch together a united opposition against the saffron party in the 2019 general election.,

Extending his support, Rahul Gandhi wrote to the West Bengal CM expressing hope that the rally would 'send a powerful message of a united India'.

"I extend my support to Mamata Di on this show of unity and hope that we send a powerful message of a united India together," Rahul Gandhi wrote in the letter.

15:56 PM (IST)  •  19 Jan 2019

A new government will be formed at the Centre. It is inevitable. Their expiry date has come. This is people's verdict: Mamata

15:47 PM (IST)  •  19 Jan 2019

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attacked the Centre saying that the "expiry date"" of BJP government has come. It has left a negative impact on all institutions in the state. Modi government is going for its own advertisement with the money raised from states.

15:39 PM (IST)  •  19 Jan 2019

Mamata Banarjee speaks at the rally. She says “we will work together to bring a new dawn for the country.”

15:42 PM (IST)  •  19 Jan 2019

Mamata Banerjee says that around two crore people turned jobless. People will not get their money back their deposits in bank if they again vote in favour of BJP.

15:38 PM (IST)  •  19 Jan 2019

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Tejaswi Yadav, attacks on the BJP. He says "we are not afraid of intimidation tactics. We have to save the country"