Mamata Banerjee has become BJP's 'oxygen supplier': Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday reacted strongly to Mamata Banerjee's remarks against the UPA and accused the West Bengal chief minister of helping the BJP by becoming its "oxygen supplier."
"When the BJP is struggling across India and their situation is worsening every passing day, Mamata Banerjee has decided to supply oxygen to them. Mamata Banerjee has become BJP's oxygen supplier.So, the BJP is happy with her," Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told news agency ANI.
He accused Mamata of weakening the Congress to keep the BJP happy.
"'Miley Sur Mera Tumhara, Toh Sur Bane Hamara' is the stance of Mamata Banerjee today to keep the BJP happy," he said, adding, "UPA government had 6 ministers from the Trinamool Congress. In 2012, Mamata Banerjee had made some excuses to withdraw her support to the UPA. She had wanted to break the UPA govt at that time. But she didn't succeed because there were other parties that immediately supported the Govt. It's an old conspiracy by her."
"Today her strength has increased because Modi ji is standing behind her. So, she's making all efforts to weaken the Congress," he added.
The Congress leader, however, had a word of praise for Sharad Pawar and accused Mamata of conspiring to show that she had the support of other parties against the grand old party.
"Sharad Pawar didn't say anything against the Congress. He's a senior leader. We respect him a lot. It's a pre-meditated conspiracy of Mamata Banerjee to entrap Sharad Pawar and people of other parties to show that an alternate to BJP has come. This is benefiting BJP the most," the Congress leader said.
Taking a dig at the Trinamool chief, Adhir Chowdhury said, "She thinks entire India has started chanting 'Mamata, Mamata'. But India doesn't mean Bengal and Bengal alone doesn't mean India. Her tactics in the last polls(in West Bengal) are slowly getting exposed."
BJP calls Mamata's meetings a 'show'
The BJP has called Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee's political moves in Mumbai as a "show."
Mamata, who is on a three-day visit to Maharashtra, met Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut and Aditya Thackeray on Tuesday and NCP president Sharad Pawar today.
"I don't think anything will happen with these meetings. How will Mamata Banerjee support Shiv Sena? What do they have there? There is a distance of 3,000 km between them. It is all a show," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice-president Dilip Ghosh remarked.
"It is a good thing to form a national party. But who is with her? She tried to break Congress in Tripura and bagged some votes but was not successful. It is good that she has now gone to Maharashtra, where she attempted to wash away her sins of politics of violence and murders committed in Bengal by visiting Siddhivinayak Temple," Ghosh added.

"Uddhav Thackeray can be ill, but what happened to Kejriwal and Sonia Gandhi? Why did they not meet Mamata? The politics that she is doing of dominating everyone is not being liked by those who were once on her side. She may go to Goa, Uttar Pradesh or Himachal Pradesh but she will not get any benefit and neither will she be able to help anyone. In states where Congress has weakened, maybe one or two retired politicians will take her side," Ghosh added.
'Uddhav Thackeray also in people's minds'
On the speculation of Mamata attempting to form a coalition and becoming the Opposition's face for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said, "The opposition does not need a face to be united, ideas are needed. First, ideology should match, then anyone can be the opposition. Uddhav Thackeray is also in people's minds. Uddhav Thackeray's name is counted in 4-5 chief ministers who are said to be good. We also feel that Uddhav Thackeray should become the Prime Minister of the country. What is wrong with it?"
(With inputs from ANI)