Mumbai: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that there is "no UPA" now. She was speaking to reporters after meeting NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai.
"A firm alternative course should be made as nobody's fighting against ongoing fascism. Sharad Ji is the seniormost leader and I came to discuss our political parties. I agree with whatever Sharad Ji said. There is no UPA," Banerjee said when asked if she wanted Pawar to be the chairperson of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance.
After the meeting with Banerjee, Pawar said, "Today, my colleagues and I had a long chat with her. Her intention is, in today's situation like-minded forces have to come together at national level and set up collective leadership."
"We have to provide a strong alternative to leadership. Our thinking is not for today, but for election. This has to be established and with that intention, she has visited and had a very positive discussion with all of us," he said.
Read: Easy to defeat BJP if all regional parties come together: Mamata Banerjee in Mumbai
When asked if Congress will be a part of the "strong alternative", Pawar said, "Be it Congress or any other party, the thing is that those who are against BJP, if they'll come together, they're welcome."
Earlier in the day, while interacting with civil society members in Mumbai, Banerjee said that if all the regional parties come together then defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be very easy.
"If most of the time you stay overseas, how will politics be done? Politics demands continuous endeavor. I want the federal structure to be strong. And it is better if all the regional parties walk together. Regional parties build up the national party. If all the regional parties are together then it is a very easy game to defeat BJP," she said.
