Kolkata, Jul 21 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party head Akhilesh Yadav slammed the “morally defeated” BJP on Sunday, predicting that the saffron party-led government at the Centre would not "last long and would collapse soon." Their comments came during the TMC’s Martyrs' Day rally in Kolkata, held six weeks after the Lok Sabha elections, where the TMC and the SP achieved significant victories over the BJP in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, respectively.

Both the TMC and the SP are part of the opposition INDIA bloc nationally.

In response to the statement of the two leaders, the BJP said they are free to dream about coming to power but that will never happen.

Banerjee accused the current BJP-led government at the Centre of coming to power through "intimidation and threats," and vowed to "oust the morally defeated BJP" as soon as possible.

Echoing this sentiment, Yadav asserted that the NDA government would not endure, suggesting that "communal forces" might enjoy temporary success but would ultimately be defeated.

Speaking at the TMC’s Martyrs' Day rally, Yadav remarked, "Those who have come to power are merely temporary guests.

"This government at the Centre won't last long and will fall soon. Such communal forces want to stay in power at any cost, but their designs won't succeed," Yadav said, without directly naming the BJP or the NDA.

Yadav criticized the "communal forces at the Centre," accusing them of plotting to destabilize the nation.

"The forces seek to divide the country along communal lines may achieve short-term victories, but they will ultimately be defeated," he added.

The Samajwadi Party won 37 Lok Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lower House of Parliament. This is a significant increase from the five seats it secured in 2019.

The opposition INDIA bloc comprising the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, won a total of 43 seats in Uttar Pradesh.

"West Bengal, under Didi's leadership, has fought against divisive forces. Bengal defeated them, and Uttar Pradesh joined in this fight," Yadav said.

He emphasized the need for unity against communal forces to protect the Constitution and the country.

"We believe in positive politics. It’s time for a change in people’s lives. We must unite to save the Constitution and the country," he stated.

Banerjee, aligning with Yadav's predictions, forewarned that the BJP-led NDA government would soon "collapse".

She claimed, "The BJP no longer holds a majority. Given how the current Central government came to power—through the misuse of central investigation agencies and the Election Commission of India—it won’t be able to sustain itself for long." “This government at the Centre is unstable and will collapse soon,” she asserted.

Banerjee, ahead of the Lok Sabha Budget session, said, “We will see them (BJP) in Parliament." Without naming specific individuals, Banerjee criticized the BJP’s allies in the NDA for allegedly “sacrificing” ministerial positions for financial gain.

Describing them as “cowards and greedy individuals who yielded to financial inducements,” she questioned, “Has anyone ever heard of money being offered instead of ministries? Has anyone heard of parties being sold for money? They are cowardly, shameless, and greedy. They sacrificed their own identities." While the BJP won 240 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections, the NDA secured 293 seats, comfortably above the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member House.

Meanwhile, the opposition INDIA bloc made impressive gains, winning 234 seats.

Banerjee praised Akhilesh Yadav for his party’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.

She remarked, “The 'Khel' (game) you played in UP should have forced the BJP government (in UP) to resign, but the shameless government remains in power by misusing agencies and other means. You cannot intimidate us with these tactics.

Banerjee accused the BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) of having a "tacit understanding" in West Bengal.

“Despite the intimidation by central agencies, arrests of party leaders, and the ECI’s bias, we fought and secured victory against BJP, Congress, and CPI(M). We thank the people of Bengal,” she said, noting the TMC's victory in 29 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, up from 22 in 2019.

In response to Banerjee and Yadav’s predictions of the central government’s collapse, the BJP dismissed their claims as “daydreaming” and suggested they prepare to remain in the opposition benches after the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

“The people have voted for the NDA government for the third consecutive term. The TMC, Congress, and Samajwadi Party can continue to dream about coming to power and rotating the Prime Minister’s post. But this will never happen. They should be prepared to sit in the opposition benches after the 2029 Lok Sabha polls too,” BJP state spokesperson and MP Samik Bhattacharya said.

Earlier in the day, Yadav met Banerjee at her residence in Kalighat in the southern part of Kolkata.

According to TMC sources, both leaders discussed the current political situation in the country. PTI SUS PNT BDC PNT NN

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