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Opposition rally Highlights: Gathbandhan sounds battle cry from Kolkata, vows to crush BJP

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Kolkata, Jan 19: Massive show of strength rally by the opposition parties concluded on Saturday afternoon with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warning the PM Modi-led goverment at the Centre that their days were numbered. Who's who from the opposition ranks were on the dais with Mamata in Kolkata and in unison they criticised the BJP rule, accusing the saffron party of being 'anti-democracy'.

From former prime minister HD Deve Gowda to rebel BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, all on the dais stressed on how the current regime was interferring with the institutions and misusing the mandate given to them in 2014. Many leaders stressed that it was important to forget differences and stay united if they want to oust the BJP from the Centre.

Image courtesy - ANI/Twitter

Here are the highlights from the rally:

Jan 19, 2019, 4:02 PM IST

Rally ends with National Anthem.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:48 PM IST

Mamata warns BJP and says this is the beginning of BJP's end.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:46 PM IST

"BJP Hataao, BJP hataao" chants Mamata. Badal do, badal do, she further chants.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:45 PM IST

There will be no achche din for BJP. I am not concerned about who becomes the PM, I just want BJP to go," says Mamata.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:41 PM IST

"This meeting has been forced by historical necessity. You ask who's the leader of the Opposition. There are so many people on the stage. Can't you see? We have many leaders unlike your party," says Mamata.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:32 PM IST

collective leadership is the need of the hour. We are all leaders, we are all equal, we have united because country needs us, says Mamata.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:30 PM IST

He claims he is clean but look at all the scams his govt is involved in. Things change, even weather changes, then why shouldn't the government change," says Mamata.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:29 PM IST

Look at the way they are targetting the opposition leaders. Look what they did to Lalu ji. They are misusing CBI. They are ruining institutions... They are interferring in the work of state governments, says Mamata.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:27 PM IST

This government's days are numbered...They have crossed Lakshman Rekha, says Banerjee.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:26 PM IST

"Modi's expiry date is over just like your pills. We are now here to build a new India," says Mamata Banerjee
Jan 19, 2019, 3:23 PM IST

Mamata Banerjee begins address.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:21 PM IST

I want to tell people of Bihar, they have been cheated .. Help us in defeating Modi ji. Let us support Mamata ji, says Tejashwi Yadav.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:19 PM IST

Modi ji is a factory of lies. He keeps lying. His politics is adultrated, says Tejashwi. He says we must be united and be cautious.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:17 PM IST

My father was sent to jail. It was a conspiracy. Who ever opposes them, they send ED and CBI after them, says Yadav.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:15 PM IST

Modi ji will lose his sleep. Modi bhagawo, desh baccahao, says Yadav.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:14 PM IST

Tejashwi Yadav begins address.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:14 PM IST

"HAL was not given the contract to build aircraft. Please come clean with facts on Rafael otherwise u have to listen: Chowkidar Chor Hai, Chowkidar Chor Hai, Chowkidar Chor Hai," says Shatrughan.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:13 PM IST

We shall make it, hum honge kaamyaab, says Sinha.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:12 PM IST

Sharughan Sinha heaps praise on Tejashwi Yadav.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:10 PM IST

They will try to distract us. They will try to divert attention, they will rake up Ayodhya, they will make all sorts of promises, says Shatrughan Sinha.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:09 PM IST

The government must answer increased price of Rafale, says Sinha.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:08 PM IST

"Demonetisation was announced in haste. They announced without considering the people and other senior party leaders. Even the finance minister was not kept in the loop before announcing demonetisation. Women, who had accumulated some wealth for their families' benefit, were left in lurch when note ban happened. They lost crores due to it," says Shatrughan Sinha.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:07 PM IST

Farmers and youth suffering under current rule, says Shatrughan Sinha. He slams government over Rafale deal. He says government insulted HAL.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:05 PM IST

Demonetisation and GST were a double blow on people...Why are you hiding details of Rafale deal, Sinha says.
Jan 19, 2019, 3:04 PM IST

"Even before being a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, I am leader of Bharat. So whatever I say or do, is for the people and for their benefit. I am answerable to them. Hence, I try to show BJP a mirror so that they understand that it's a democracy and they cannot do such injustice. Yashwant Sinha tells me that BJP will now throw me out of the party. But I am not scared but I am a people's man," Shatrughan Sinha says.
Jan 19, 2019, 2:59 PM IST

Under Atal Bihari Vajpayee there was democracy, now there is dictatorship, says Shatrughan Sinha.
Jan 19, 2019, 2:58 PM IST

People ask me that you are in BJP then why are you rebellling. I am with truth. I am not afraid of speaking the truth, says Shatrughan Sinha. He says Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie told him that I would be expelled from the party after this, so be it.
Jan 19, 2019, 2:54 PM IST

Shatrughan Sinha calls Mamata Banerjee revolutionary leader.
Jan 19, 2019, 2:53 PM IST

Shatrughan Sinha begins address.
Jan 19, 2019, 2:52 PM IST

"I request senior regional leaders to prepare a manifesto together to take it forward. This task needs to be executed by the leaders themselves. I was the PM for a short time. I know that stable nation is important to build the a country. They got full majority, but what they have done is in front of everyone. We need to instill confidence among the people by telling them about our action plan," Deve Gowda says in Kolkata.
READ MORE

One former prime minister, three chief ministers, six former chief ministers and five former Union ministers will be attending the Mamata Banerjee-hosted United India Rally in Kolkata, said reports.

More than 20 national leaders, including former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Arun Shourie; three present chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Chandrababu Naidu and H D Kumaraswamy; and former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Akhilesh Yadav and Gegong Apang will attend the meeting.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have decided to skip the Kolkata event, but AICC general secretary Mallikarjun Kharge will represent the Congress at the rally.

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