New Delhi/Kolkata: Trinamul president Mamata Banerjee’s grand swearing-in ceremony on Friday for her second term, attended by top Opposition figures, has reignited the prospect of a Federal Front. Ms Banerjee has emerged as one of its leading faces, along with JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, ahead of the 2019 Sabha elections.
Ms Banerjee told the media, after being sworn in as CM again before a huge audience, “I was the first to float the idea of a federal front”. Her importance was evident from the presence of several Opposition CMs — Bihar’s Nitish Kumar, UP’s Akhilesh Yadav and Delhi’s Arvind Kejriwal, besides RJD boss Lalu Prasad Yadav and Farooq Abdullah.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent finance minister Arun Jaitley and MoS Babul Supriyo to represent the Centre. This despite the fact that state BJP leaders boycotted the ceremony, along with leaders of the Left and Congress.
Mamata is wary of parties like SP, BSP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in time for Trinamul president Mamata Banerjee’s swearing-in on Friday: “Congratulations to @Mamataji & her team on taking oath. Looking forward to working closely with the WB Govt for the state’s growth.” The Modi government hopes to get Ms Banerjee’s support, and that of AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa, to isolate the Congress and Left on the GST Bill issue.
“Mamata for PM” slogans are already being raised in West Bengal, but Ms Banerjee tried to play down her role, telling a TV channel,“I don’t want to be known as a VIP, but a LIP (Less Important Person).” Eyebrows were raised as she took the oath “in the name of Ishwar and Allah”, deviating a little from the line prescribed in the Constitution, in what observers said was an attempt to re-emphasise her secular credentials.
Ms Banerjee is looking at the possible formation of a Front with JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar, RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav, Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik and AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. She is said to be wary of other regional players like the Samajwadi Party, led by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, and the Mayawati-led BSP.
