West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday described the fall of the three-day-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka as a victory of democracy and the “regional front”.
“Democracy wins. Congratulations Karnataka. Congratulations DeveGowda Ji, Kumaraswamy Ji, Congress and others. Victory of the ‘regional’ front,” she tweeted within minutes after B.S. Yeddyurappa announced his resignation on the floor of the Assembly.
Ms. Banerjee, who has been in contact with Janata Dal(S) leaders over the developments in Karnataka, said she spoke to H.D. Kumaraswamy.
“I just spoke with Kumaraswamy Ji and congratulated him. He invited me for the oath-taking ceremony on Monday,” she said.
In March, the Trinamool Congress chairperson, along with Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had floated the idea of a “federal front” or “regional front” for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Since then, Ms. Banerjee has been advocating the unity of regional parties and a 1:1 formula contest against the BJP, under which every Opposition party, even the Congress, would come together but would contest only in areas where it is most strong to take on the BJP.
