Pre-poll alliances taking shape, says Mamata

New Delhi: On the last day of her three-day visit to the national capital West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee held a press interaction and said that a pre-poll alliance to oust the NDA government was taking shape.

Her statement came a day after the leaders of six Opposition parties met at NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Delhi and discussed the idea of a national pre-poll alliance.

Pitching for a united Opposition to take on BJP, Mamata said: "In Rajasthan, the Congress is strong, we are not fighting; in MP we are not fighting. But where we are strong let us fight."

She also said that the opposition parties will meet again on February 26 or 27 in the national capital to discuss the CMP draft. With regard to the prime ministerial candidate of the United Opposition, she said it will be decided post-election. "We will take it forward from there. We want to save the nation not ourselves," she said. Reacting to a query on the Bengal government denying BJP leaders to hold rallies in the state, Banerjee said they were "liars".

"They are lying about us not allowing them to carry on rallies. He (Amit Shah) had swine flu, discharged himself from the hospital and still had a rally. They are liars," she said.

Speaking on the BJP's chances in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress chief said the saffron party now has two seats and after the polls it will go down to "zero".

In an apparent reference to the Left, Banerjee said she respected the decisions of those political parties which have not gone for pre-poll alliances.

In Thursday's press conference in the national capital, Mamata also took potshots at the Centre over "sting" operations, accusing PM Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and NSA Ajit Doval of misusing the government agencies, while referring to CBI particularly."

The TMC supremo said that AAP is keen on an alliance with the Congress in Delhi. She further stated that it is now up to the Congress to reciprocate.