Mamata Banerjee Meets Uddhav Thackeray In Mumbai, Says "NDA May Not Last Long"

The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is unstable, and may not complete its term, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said today.

Ms Banerjee met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence "Matoshree" in Munbai's suburban Bandra. She will also meet NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar during her visit, she said.

"This government may not continue also. This is not a stable government," she said at a press conference with Mr Thackeray.

"Khela (game) has begun. It will go on," Ms Banerjee said when asked to elaborate.

On the Union government's move to observe June 25, when the Emergency was imposed in 1975, as the 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas', Ms Banerjee said times associated with the Emergency were being seen most during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Bengal Chief Minister said no one was consulted when the three laws - Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) that replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, were tabled in Parliament.

It was passed when a large number of MPs were suspended, she said, adding many are afraid of these new laws.

"We do not support Emergency... (but) charity begins at home," she asserted.

Referring to the defeat of the Shiv Sena candidate from Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat by 48 votes, Ms Banerjee said similar victories were achieved in many other constituencies.

On the INDIA bloc in her state, she said her Trinamool Congress cannot adjust with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) because her party fought the Left to come to power.

It was "absolutely unethical" to take away the name and symbol from the Thackeray faction, she said, adding that the party fought like a tiger. The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 and the party name and its iconic 'bow and arrow' symbol was given to the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The Chief Minister said she would campaign for Mr Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) in the Maharashtra assembly polls likely to be held in October-November.

Both Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Trinamool Congress are part of the Opposition's INDIA grouping.

This was the first meeting between the two leaders, who are known to enjoy a good rapport, after the Lok Sabha elections.

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