Just because India does not claim to form government today does not mean it will not do so tomorrow: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday stressed that the country needed change and said that while the opposition National Democratic Alliance (INDIA) may not be claiming to form the government as of now, it may do so in future.

“Just because India is not insisting on forming a government today does not mean it will not do so in the future. It is good to see this unstable government,” he said. [NDA government] “I want them to leave as soon as possible,” Banerjee told media persons at her home after meeting newly elected legislators.

2024 Election Results: Highlights for June 8, 2024

The Trinamool Congress leader said his party would take a “wait and see” stance and would be happy if the “weak and shaky” National Democratic Government (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was ousted from power.

“The country needs change. The country wants change. This mission was for change. We are waiting and monitoring the situation,” she said.

The Prime Minister said that he should not become the Prime Minister this time as the people’s support in this election was for Narendra Modi. “Modi should have left the role to someone else. [to become the Prime Minister] “I am feeling regretful after such a big defeat,” Banerjee said.

The BJP won 240 seats in the recently concluded Indian Lok Sabha elections and, with the support of its allies, is on track to cross the magic number of 272. Narendra Modi will be sworn in as prime minister for the third consecutive term on Sunday.

Terming the new government as “weak and unstable”, the Trinamool leader said her party legislators would not take part in the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. “We will wait to see who gets which post. Let us see how long this NDA government lasts. It will be good to see this unstable and weak government at the Centre go out of power,” she added.

The Trinamool Party leadership wants a more proactive role for the Indian bloc and party leaders are unhappy with the Opposition’s wait-and-see approach.

Banerjee said she had been instructed to meet with the MPs to oppose the NDA government. “We have told the MPs not to attend the Assembly session,” she said.

The Trinamool Party leadership has retained Sudip Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House and Kalyan Banerjee as House of Representatives Secretary. Derek O’Brien will be the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha and Sagarika Ghose will be its deputy leader.

Banerjee also said Trinamool MPs in the Lok Sabha and Sena would demand the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act and stressed that the central government should release pending funds to states, including West Bengal. She highlighted that the Lok Sabha has the highest percentage of women MPs at 38 percent. Of the 29 Trinamool MPs in the Lok Sabha, 11 are women.

The Trinamool leader did not say whether he would visit New Delhi in the coming days but called on Indian Union parties to meet in Kolkata.