A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu arrived in West Bengal on Monday, 20 May, to meet with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, sources quoted by PTI said.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president met Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite Opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on 23 May.
According to TMC sources, Naidu and Mamata have decided to hold detailed discussion with other "Mahagathbandhan" leaders after the the results on 23 May.
During his interaction with Banerjee, Naidu is believed to have briefed her about his meetings with all political leaders in New Delhi over the weekend, the sources said.
After the meeting, Naidu said, as per NDTV: "We discussed politics. We even requested her to come to Delhi for meeting the Election Commission."
He also added that the Opposition parties are likely to meet the EC on Wednesday with a wishlist and concerns about EVMs, the report added.
Naidu had a busy Sunday as he called on the Gandhis, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
On Saturday, he had met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Dubbing the exit polls "gossip", Banerjee on Sunday had said that she doesn't trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs.
Her remarks came after most exit polls forecast another term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some predicting that the BJP-led NDA will get more than 300 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha.
‘Why's Chandrababu Exhausting Himself?’
BJP's ally in Maharashtra Shiv Sena, meanwhile, said that Naidu’s efforts, of meeting top Opposition leaders in an apparent bid to form a non-BJP coalition at the Centre, were unlikely to bear fruit.
“Why is Chandrababu Naidu exhausting himself without any reason? Hope his current excitement lasts till 23 May. We wish him luck for the same,” the Shiv Sena said, in its editorial mouthpiece Saamana.
"There are at least five contenders for the Prime Minister's post in Opposition. There are more chances of their disillusionment. Who will form the government? This question has already been answered. Amit Shah said that BJP will win 300 seats and the party reached that target in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections only," the BJP's ally added.
(With inputs from PTI)
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