Mamata Banerjee signals possible future claim for govt formation by INDIA bloc

The opposition INDIA bloc may not have staked claim to form the government, but that doesn't mean it won't tomorrow, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday after a meeting of senior TMC leaders and newly elected MPs to discuss the party's strategy in India's Lok Sabha.

Expressing scepticism about the longevity of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the TMC supremo said her party will be in a "wait and watch" mode.

"The country needs change; the country wants change. This mandate was for change. We are waiting and keeping a watch on the situation. This mandate was against Narendra Modi, so he should not become the prime minister this time. Someone else should have been allowed to take over," Banerjee told reporters.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said the party will not attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government, describing it as "unconstitutional" and "illegal".

"The BJP is forming the government undemocratically and illegally. Today INDIA bloc may not have staked a claim to form the government, but that doesn't mean tomorrow it won't stake a claim. Let's wait for some time," she said.

"I would be happy to see that this unstable and weak government at the centre is out of power," Banerjee said.

Mamata Banerjee, buoyed by TMC's strong performance in the general elections, said her party will raise the demand in Parliament to revoke the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Referring to BJP's diminished strength in Lok Sabha, Banerjee said, "Last time, they had passed bills without discussions but won't be able to do it this time."

She also confirmed that Sudip Bandopadhyay has been re-elected as the Leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, with Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as the Deputy Leader and Kalyan Banerjee as the Chief Whip. In the Rajya Sabha, Derek O'Brien was elected as the Leader of the Party, Sagarika Ghose as the Deputy Leader, and Nadimul Haque as the Chief Whip.

At the onset of the meeting, Banerjee congratulated the victorious candidates, especially the new ones such as Yusuf Pathan, Rachana Banerjee, Mitali Bag, Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia.

The TMC maintained its dominance in the state as Banerjee led her party to a resounding victory by bagging 29 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, whereas the principal opposition BJP was down to 12 and the Congress to one seat.