Stalin Hints At Convention Of Oppn CMs After Mamata Banerjee's Call On Governors' 'Misuse Of Power'

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo called her Tamil Nadu counterpart to voice her concern over the ‘brazen misuse of power by the Governors of non-BJP ruled states’, Stalin said.

New Delhi: A national coalition of opposition forces may be in the works again with an eye on the next general elections in 2024, as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin hinted at a possible convention of opposition CMs after a telephonic conversation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo called her Tamil Nadu counterpart to voice her concern over the ‘brazen misuse of power by the Governors of non-BJP ruled states’, Stalin said.

Taking the announcement to Twitter, the Tamil Nadu CM wrote, “Beloved Didi Mamata Banerjee telephoned me to share her concern and anguish on the constitutional overstepping and brazen misuse of power by the Governors of non-BJP ruled states. She suggested for a meeting of Opposition CMs.”

Assuring Banerjee of DMK’s commitment of upholding the State’s autonomy, Stalin tweeted a “Convention of Opposition CMs will soon happen out of Delhi.”

Stalin’s tweet comes a day after West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s act of proroguing the Assembly with effect from February 12, evoking a sharp response from the Tamil Nadu CM, who tweeted, “The act of #WestBengal Governor to prorogue the WB Assembly Session is without any propriety expected from the exalted post and goes against the established norms and conventions." Stalin added, “the ‘symbolic’ head of the state should be the role model to uphold the constitution. Beauty of democracy lies in extending mutual respect to each other."

Stalin’s comments triggered a war of words between the two as Dhankhar posted a rejoinder to the former’s tweet. He wrote, “Find it unusually expedient to respectfully invite indulgent attention of TN CM @mkstalin that his extremely harsh hurtful observations are not in the least in conformity with facts- attached order. Assembly was prorogued at express request @MamataOfficial @rajbhavan_tn.”

Meanwhile, Stalin’s hint at a convention of the opposition CMs drew the ire of BJP leader Amit Malviya who slammed the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister saying, “It is fine if non-BJP CMs want to collaborate and share their woes but it is absolutely unacceptable to make malicious and unverified comments.”