Kolkata: As preparations are on for Narendra Modi to be sworn in as India’s Prime Minister for a record-equalling third successive term, Mamata Banerjee reminded the NDA alliance that governments “sometimes last only for a day”.
The NDA alliance won 293 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha elections, with the BJP (240) falling short of the majority mark (272) on its own for the first time in Modi’s reign.
The saffron party, thus, has to bank on allies like Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (16 seats) and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) with 12, to form the government.
The Opposition INDIA bloc — powered by a rejuvenated Congress (99), Samajwadi Party (37) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) – finished with 234 seats.
Speaking after a Trinamool Congress (TMC) Parliamentary party meeting on Saturday, Mamata said her party will not be attending Sunday’s swearing-in ceremony even if invited because the government is being formed “illegally and undemocratically.”
Though INDIA parties decided not to try and form a government, the West Bengal chief minister took a dig at BJP, saying that those who spoke of 400 (Lok Sabha seats) could not get even a simple majority on their own.
“Don’t think just because INDIA has not staked claim (to form a government), nothing will happen. We are waiting and watching because things change. Ultimately, it will be a new INDIA government, but let them be for a few days. Sometimes, governments last only for a day… Anything can happen, who knows if this government will last even 15 days?” said Mamata, who led TMC to a fantastic result that gave them 29 out of 42 seats, reducing BJP to 12 in the state.
Mamata said her party can’t extend best wishes to Modi and NDA.
“They are forming a government illegally and undemocratically… They will try and break parties again. But they will break from within as many people are unhappy… We have not received an invite for the swearing-in ceremony and we will not go,” the Bengal CM stated.
Mamata invited all INDIA bloc members to Kolkata for a meeting.
