I meet Oppn parties, as others spend time abroad: Mamata Banerjee in Mumbai

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she has been going around the country to seek support of opposition parties because one Congress is doing nothing and one of its leaders Rahul Gandhi has spent considerable amount of time abroad instead of fighting the adversaries here in IndiaThe Trinamool Congress president was responding to a civil society member who asked what she would do for Opposition unity as there was none at present Several intellectuals activists editors independent journalists and activistturnedpoliticians were part of the interaction with Banerjee which was held at Y B Chavan Centre Film personality poet and writer Javed Akhtar moderated the sessionRahul GandhildquoParivar me har insan ek saman nahi hota In a family all members are not on the same page I think there would be competition if I keep meeting opposition leaders Some parties and people do nothing Aadha samay to videsh mei hi rehta hai kuch nahi karta hai spends half the time abroad and does nothingrdquo Banerjee said without mentioning the former Congress chief RahulA jab at CongressHer statement was seen as a fitting reply to the Congresss jab that she was repeating the past mistakes by opposing the Congress thus helping the BJP The TMC has been distancing itself from the Congressled activities in the ongoing Parliament winter sessionBanerjee said she firmly believed in a federal structure and strongly felt that the regional parties should be united because together they can beat the BJP hands downldquoI donrsquot want division We will be strong when we are united Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets scared of the united effort Why did he repeal the farm acts Its because of the forthcoming elections Our primary job is to save the country first Do not worry believe in yourself Sab ho jayegardquo she said in response to another questionBanerjee said politicians alone cannot do everything ldquoSpeak up from where you are We can fight it out together walk together Political parties will do their jobrdquo Another activist said he could speak up freely in Maharashtra after the threeparty MVA replaced the BJP and asked whether the MVA formula could be applied in other states Responding Banerjee said each state was politically different but we TMC will fight the BJP where the Congress cannot When a noted columnist wanted to know who would be the next PM Banerjee said ldquoWhy only us politicians You could also be the PM One of my ministers is from a cultural background The matter is whether we can save the country or notrdquolsquoWill scrap all drastic lawsrsquoShe said all drastic laws would be scrapped after the BJP is replaced in the Centre ldquoI will be happy to do it Khela HobehelliprdquoBanerjee also raised questions over the use of central law enforcement agencies ldquoThe PM CARES Fund is a big scandal Theres no audit no accounts Where are the CBI and ED But let me tell you we will not get scared Jab tak jiyenge tab tak ladenge we will fight till our last breathrdquo she saidTo a question whether the officials who are instrumental in misusing the agencies at the behest of the BJP be tried in court after the change of rule Banerjee said she would not reveal everything now because the BJP would make a strategy to counter her planShe asked civil society members to form a nationallevel advisory council to guide the opposition ldquoPlease give us direction Have experts from Mumbai Kolkata Chennai Bangalore etc We will give you northeastrdquo One of the attendees suggested that the laws legislated during the BJP regime should be reviewed because only 7 out of 70 were debated in Parliament and a strategy be made in consultation with NCP chief Sharad Pawar for winning the maximum number of LS seats in 2024 from West Bengal and Maharashtra Responding Banerjee said she would discuss both issues with her NCP counterpartlsquoKeep ego aside Cong the only alternativersquoReacting to Banerjeersquos statement Maharashtra Cong president Nana Patole said a political party restricted to one state cannot be an alternative to the BJP ldquoThe Congress is the only viable political alternative for the BJPrdquo ldquoThe Congress under the leadership of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi has been consistent in fighting the BJP The fight against the BJP needs to be fought unitedly keeping egos asiderdquo he said