MUMBAI: A day after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) does not exist, state Congress president Nana Patole reacted sharply, saying any effort of an alliance by excluding the Congress will only help BJP.
“Rahul Gandhi is the only leader in the country who has directly challenged PM Narendra Modi and the BJP,” Patole said after a meeting of Congress cabinet members to take stock of the political situation in the wake of Banerjee’s meeting at the residence of NCP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday.
Patole said the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have been playing the role of a capable opposition party for the last seven years.
“In our opinion, the present stand taken by Banerjee will certainly help the BJP. Similar attempts were made before the 2019 general elections, which had directly benefited the BJP,” Patole said.
Patole alleged that during BJP rule, democracy is in danger, all-out attempts have been made by the government to silence the opposition, and agencies like the CBI, I-T and ED have been pressed into service to take on the opposition.
“We are not scared of the Central agencies. We will raise our voice against the abuse of power by the NDA government. We found that several political parties are not taking a firm stand against Central agencies for fear of coercive action against politicians opposed to the BJP,” Patole alleged.
Further Patole said the farmers’ movement has clearly established that people’s power can ensure that the government surrenders.
“Farmers forced Narendra Modi to repeal the anti-farmer legislations,” Patole said.
