Mamata Banerjee addressing a rally in Delhi that Anna Hazare skipped at the last minute
A day after being stood up by Anna Hazare at what was meant to be the launch of her national campaign, Mamata Banerjee today pronounced that her Trinamool Congress would emerge the third largest party in next month's general election.
"There are two parties in the country for a long time. Trinamool will be the third largest party in the country," said the West Bengal Chief Minister.
She refused to comment on Anna Hazare's last minute no-show at a widely publicized joint rally in Delhi yesterday, which forced her to settle for an embarrassing solo show.
The Gandhian activist reportedly backed out after his aides reported thin crowds at the Ramlila grounds, where he had launched his 2011 anti-corruption campaign alongside former protege Arvind Kejriwal. Days ago, the 76-year-old crusader had declared that he would campaign for the Trinamool leader, calling her a rare, simple politician who deserved to be prime minister.
"I have nothing to say about yesterday," Ms Banerjee today said, firmly closing the subject. She had said yesterday that she had been invited by Anna for the rally, and had honoured her commitment despite a busy schedule.
When reporters asked her about her next step, the 59-year-old politician replied, "We will take national steps in national politics. And it will start from Bengal."
The Trinamool would contest in Bihar, Kerala, Orissa, Jharkhand, Delhi and the northeastern states besides contesting all 42 seats of Bengal, she said, invoking her "Ma, Maati, Maanush" war cry for the 2011 state assembly polls that saw her defeating the Left front.
"We don't want an unholy alliance; we want an alliance of people," said the Trinamool chief.
In Delhi, she is planning to field veteran Bengali filmstar Biswajeet Chatterjee.
On Wednesday, she had raised eyebrows when she alleged attempts by the Left, BJP and Congress to eliminate her.
As the Left reacted sharply, Ms Banerjee clarified to NDTV that the threat was both political and physical and "always" there.