Days after Mamata's 'no UPA' scorn, Congress & Rahul get Sena thumbs up, NCP support

Congress, which has been reeling under an intense assault from Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, got a boost from Shiv Sena on Tuesday.

Days after Mamata's "No UPA now" taunt, Sena MP Sanjay Raut met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and gave the party a vote of confidence.

After the meeting, Raut said that there can be no opposition front without Congress. The same line was echoed by the third partner in the Maharashtra government, the NCP.

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Sharad Pawar's party asserted it will make every effort to form a broad-based alliance that will also include the Congress.

Interestingly, Sharad Pawar was by Mamata's side when she declared the UPA dead during her visit to Mumbai last week.

When asked how the opposition parties are coming together to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Raut said efforts for this are on.

“I have told Rahulji to take a lead in this and work towards it. There can be no (opposition) front without the Congress. What will two-three fronts of opposition do?” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

Raut said the Sena has already stated that no opposition front is possible without the Congress.

“I have not talked about any leader leading the front. I am only saying there should be only one front. If there are two-three fronts, then it cannot be an alternative. Only then can we present an alternative (to the BJP),” he stressed.

When asked how can the Congress and TMC be brought together when the relations between the two are strained, Raut said Pawar will play a role in this.