Can't wait indefinitely for Congress to bring Oppn together against BJP: TMC

Kolkata: Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha member said the need of the hour was that all opposition parties should come under one umbrella to fight against the BJP. He also stated that the party cannot wait for the "Congress indefinitely" to do the same.

Addressing the Press in New Delhi on Tuesday, Ray said after coming to power in Bengal for the third consecutive time Mamata Banerjee had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders and urged them to come under one umbrella against the BJP without wasting time. "But unfortunately no progress has been made so far in uniting the opposition parties. We think Congress should take the lead and take some initiative as it has a presence across the country. But Congress seems to be busy dealing with its internal problems," Ray said adding: "We cannot wait indefinitely." Ray said TMC is on an expansion path and has opened its offices in Tripura and Goa. TMC leaders are also going to other states. " We cannot sit idle and we are going to other states also," he said.

Asked whether Trinamool is getting benefited by inducting leaders from Congress in UP, Ray said the leaders had approached the party and after considering their background the central leadership of Trinamool cleared their induction. "Kanaiah Kumar has recently joined Congress from CPI and no one is questioning that. Our view is not to get benefitted by inducting leaders from Congress," he said adding: "There is floor coordination in Rajya Sabha on key issues and if that is possible why not prepare a common programme to oust the BJP outside the Parliament."

Sushmita Dev, Trinamool Rajya Sabha member who took oath of office in the Upper House on Tuesday said in Bengal and Tripura, the Congress exists only on the signboards, but despite that the party has fielded a candidate against Trinamool. "The opposition parties should understand the ground reality and put up a united fight against the BJP," she said.