Maharashtra: Congress livid as Didi writes UPA's epitaph

Mumbai, Dec 2 Relegated to the political pavement as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stormed Mumbai in her 2-day-long high-profile trip which ended on Thursday, the Maharashtra Congress unitedly slammed her for her 'RIP'-ping comments spelling doom for the UPA.

Banerjee met leaders of two of the 3 ruling allies - Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena's MP Sanjay Raut and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray, met civil society members, some industrialists, film personalities, but obviously she had no love lost for the state Congress.

The visiting leader's shocker came during her brief media interaction, when she virtually blurted out - "What UPA? There's no UPA now..." stunning the Congress and momentarily even the NCP supremo Pawar seemed dazed but kept his legendary cool.

An enraged Congress top brass hit back, though diplomatically - to avoid antagonising the Sena-NCP leaders or even remotely appear siding with the BJP - and harked on the grand old party's contributions, the Gandhis' leadership while blaming Banerjee's "personal ambitions and ego" and painting the BJP as the real villain.

"The BJP is a threat to the Constitution and Democracy. Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are constantly challenging the dictatorial attitude of the BJP," said State Congress President Nana Patole.

The Congress Legislature Party Leader Balasaheb Thorat dismissively said, "no individual party can fight the BJP if that party only thinks of its own political gains and personal ambitions" and the Congress remains the sole viable option before the country.

AICC Secretary Sanjay Dutt said, "if there is one party which has been fighting fascist forces and standing up for the people of India, it's the Congress", and others are now posturing only to grab the 'chair'