Mamata Banerjee willing to join anti-BJP front

She said that a strong opposition was needed in the interest of the nation.

Kolkata, March 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she would be happy to join a combined anti-BJP front if any formal proposal comes her way before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"I will be happy if there is a combined front. If there is any formal proposal, I am there. I have no problems," Banerjee said at a press conference, when asked whether she was open to joining such a group.

She also claimed that existence of a good government and a strong political opposition is important for the betterment of the country.

"In democracy, there is a government and an opposition. For the betterment of the country, the party running the government should do good work and the opposition party should also be strong," she said.

Responding to the claims of the Bharatiya Janata Party's ascendancy in the state after the massive victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, Banerjee said that the BJP will not be able to reach the helm in West Bengal anytime soon.

"They cannot. They are still languishing as the fourth largest political party here. How will they capture? Forcefully? If they target Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, we will target India," she asserted.

"I have complete trust in Bengal. Bengal is not a place where you will divide people by saying or doing something. The people won't accept that," she added.

IANS