Sharad Pawar extends support to Mamata over fight against Centre

Kolkata: NCP chief Sharad Pawar extended his support to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her fight against the BJP-led Centre on various issues starting from farm laws to transfer of IPS officers.

This comes amidst senior BJP leader and Union Home minister Amit Shah's three-day tour to Bengal when Banerjee's allegation against BJP's parochial politics of breaking the regional political parties "has once again got established".

According to sources, there was a telephonic conversation between Pawar and Banerjee on Sunday morning. A rally with senior leaders from the Opposition political parties is also likely to be held in January in Kolkata. Though the date of the same is yet to be finalised, sources said the move has been taken to once again give a united fight against the saffron brigade with all the anti-BJP political parties sharing the stage as it had taken place in the city ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

This comes when senior leaders of Opposition political parties have stood beside Banerjee on the issue of Centre's "brazen interference" in the state's affairs, affecting the federal structure of the country, by directing to release three IPS officers of Bengal cadre following the incident of attack on BJP national president JP Nadda's convoy.

Banerjee on Sunday once again raised her voice against the Centre over the IPS transfer issue and in the same breath expressed her gratitude towards Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and DMK chief MK Stalin as they supported her in the fight against the Centre on the issue.

Banerjee tweeted: "Centre is brazenly interfering with State Govt functioning by transferring police officers. My gratitude to @bhupeshbaghel, @ArvindKejriwal, @capt_amarinder, @ashokgehlot51 & @mkstalin for showing solidarity to people of Bengal & reaffirming their commitment to federalism. Thank you!"

In a series of tweets, Banerjee's counterparts from Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Delhi and Rajasthan wrote on their respective Twitter handles that "federalism is at stake again with BJP government's encroaching into the state's jurisdiction".