Mamata's formula to take on Modi: ‘Limit rivalries at state level, let's unite for nation'

New Delhi, Feb 13: During the second edition of Opposition's show of strength rally in Delhi's Jantar Mantar today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the regional parties to leave behind mutual differences at the state level and unite at the national level to oust the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government in the upcoming elections.

The "Remove Dictatorship, Save Democracy" rally at Jantar Mantar is being organised by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has been critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and N Chandrababu Naidu addressed the rally and came down heavily on BJP-led government at the Centre and its functioning. All leaders touched upon how the BJP government is allegedly using agencies like CBI and ED for political gains.

"Modi govt uses surveillance on everybody, against own officers too. They don't respect Gandhiji, Ambedkar, Tagore, but use some leaders during election time, says Mamata. They send CBI to threaten my police, haven't seen govt stoop so low. What will Modi do? Send me to jail, set agencies against us or murder us? We are not the ones to be afraid," Mamata Banerjee said at Jantar Mantar.

The West Bengal Chief Minister said let the CPI and Congress fight against TMC in state, but urged them to unite on the national level to defeat the BJP

"Aane waale din ekhatte hoke humlog ladenge. Hamare saath Congress, CPM ka jo bhi fight rahega state mein rahega. National level mein hum ek saath ladenge. (Congress and CPI(M) will fight against us in Bengal but will be together nationally). Let them fight against me, I don't mind. For interest of the nation, I am ready to sacrifice my life/party," she said.

"Whoever is strong wherever should fight in their areas. This way we will throw them out. AAP should fight in Delhi, SP-BSP alliance in UP, Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra," she added.

Naidu also launched a bitter attack on BJP-led government at the Centre and said Narendra Modi will be ex-prime minister soon. He also questioned the CAG report on Rafale deal tabled in Parliament today.

"If the same man who was in finance ministry and is now CAG, what better report he will give on Rafale, asks Chandrababu Naidu. Where is cooperative federalism? modi attack Kejriwal, Mamata and me. Kejriwal is 1000 times more efficient than Modi. Kejriwal can tell where he got his degree, I can say where I got my degree, but the PM can't say," Naidu said at the "Remove Dictatorship, Save Democracy" rally at Jantar Mantar.

The Congress representative at the rally was Anand Sharma. He likened Modi rule to a dictatorial regime and said "even dictatorships eventually come to an end."