KOLKATA: A day after NC leader Omar Abdullah hinted Mamata Banerjee might be made the Prime Ministerial candidate of an anti-BJP federal front, senior TMC leaders on Saturday demanded that their supremo is made the Prime Ministerial candidate against Narendra Modi in 2019.
"Mamata didi has done a great job in West Bengal. When needed, we will take her to the top seat in Delhi. But these issues will be discussed after the elections are over," Omar had said.
Indirectly demanding that Mamata's name be officially declared as the PM candidate of the multi-party regional front, senior TMC leaders issued statements on Saturday justifying how only the TMC supremo could stop the BJP juggernaut across the country.
While Kolkata South MP Subrata Bakshi said that only Mamata can oust Modi in 2019, Serampore MP Kalyan Banerjee asserted that the TMC supremo will send the PM back to Gujarat.
TMC's prominent Muslim face Firhad Hakim said Mamata has to take the responsibility of saving the people from Modi. "Only Mamata has the power to speak up against the atrocities committed by the Centre. She doesn't have any greed but the people need her for their own well-being."
Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari claimed the TMC will win all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal.
Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee hit out at the BJP over Hindutva politics. "I am also a saffron-clad Hindu. But I believe the Hinduism of Swami Vivekananda and not that of Yogi Adityanath. My Hindutva does not teach division or destruction. We also have Ram Bhakts. However, unlike your Ram Bhakts who dance with swords, my Ram Bhakts live with the message of Hindu-Muslim communal harmony. BJP claims to work for Hindutva, I ask them what have they done for Hindutva in these past four years," he said.