Democracy Under Threat, Opposition Parties Should Work Together: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that democracy is under threat in the country under the BJP rule and called upon Opposition parties to work together for the greater interest of the people before the next Lok Sabha polls.

She accused the NDA government of trying to halt the developmental process in her state.

"Democracy is under threat in this country under the present central government. It is a super emergency that is going on in the country. I have been an MP for nearly two decades but I have never seen such a government at the Centre," she said at the India Today Conclave East in Kolkata.

"I believe in collective leadership... At present all are working together and that is the best policy. Let us work together," Banerjee said about the Opposition, adding she shares good relations with the DMK, the SP, the BSP and the BJD and is working with the Congress inside Parliament on various issues.

When asked whether she is hinting at a broader opposition coalition with the Congress before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she said, "In Bengal, the Congress and the Left are working with the BJP at the state level. But at the national level for greater interests I think we should work together."

To a question whether the country would see a grand opposition coalition ahead of 2019, she said, "It depends. We are working together in Parliament. I went to (RJD chief) Lalu Prasadji's programme in Patna."

Banerjee said, "I have good relationship with (Samajwadi Party chief) Akhilesh ji and (BSP chief) Mayawati ji in Uttar Pradesh, with Stalin ji (DMK), Naveen ji (BJP)... I maintain the best of relations with so many other people. Even, within the BJP I maintain good relation with some people, but not with all."

Bengal will never accept divide and rule politics of the BJP, she asserted and dismissed that it was a challenger to the ruling (TMC) Trinamool Congress government.

"The BJP is nowhere in Bengal but only on media and social media. They only shout. Let the BJP shout along with their bike vahini, but they cannot do anything in Bengal," Banerjee said.