"BJP is afraid of Opposition alliance, trying to break parties": TMC's Kunal Ghosh on Maharashtra coup

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 4 : In a reaction to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar's coup on Sunday, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader Kunal Ghosh hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying that the ruling party is "afraid" of the proposed Opposition alliance and hence they are trying to "break" the parties.

Terming it as an encouraging development for the opposition camp, Ghosh said, "BJP is afraid of the proposed Opposition alliance. Therefore, they are trying to break the parties. This is an indication that they are nervous. So, this is more encouraging to us."

Speaking about the Maharashtra coup, the Trinamool leader said, "If BJP thinks, they can break one party, one or two individuals then that will make no effect on the Lok Sabha elections. There are some rumours that BJP is targeting those who will surrender before it. BJP is using agency and investigations against them."

The Trinamool Congress leader further said that the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections will witness a "straight fight" between the BJP and those who are opposed to it.

"I think in the coming Lok Sabha elections there will be a straight fight between the BJP symbol and the anti-BJP symbol. Those who will prefer price rise, corruption, division of religion will vote for BJP. Those Indians who want to protest will vote against BJP and its allies. The Trinamool and some other parties will fight," he said.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar who was also the Maharashtra Leader of Opposition joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra and took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday in a surprise and dramatic political move that changed political equations in the state ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls next year and has ramifications for national politics.

The move by NCP chief Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, which also saw eight other NCP MLAs joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, came amid efforts by opposition parties to forge unity to take on the BJP in the next year's Lok Sabha polls. Sharad Pawar, a former Mahrashtra Chief Minister, has been a key leader in opposition unity efforts.