Ahead of presidential poll, Mamata Banerjee to meet non-BJP CMs on June 15

Banerjee has written to 22 political leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.

She has also written to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Trinamool Congress said in a tweet that Mamata Banerjee has called upon all progressive opposition forces to meet and deliberate on the future course of action keeping the Presidential elections in sight at the Constitution Club, New Delhi.

“The Presidential elections are around the corner, presenting the perfect opportunity for all progressive parties to reconvene and deliberate on the future course of Indian politics,” Banerjee said in the letter.

“The election is monumental because it gives the legislators the opportunity to participate in deciding the Head of our State who is the custodian of our democracy. At a time when our democracy is going through troubling times, I believe that a fruitful confluence of opposition voices is the need of the hour; to echo the deprived and unrepresented communities,” she added.

Banerjee said all progressive forces in the country need to remain aligned “and resist the divisive force that is plaguing us today.”

She alleged that opposition leaders are being “deliberately targeted by different central agencies, the country’s image is maligned internationally and bitter dissensions are created within”.

“It is time we strengthen our resistance,” the letter said.

The Election Commission of India on Thursday announced that the next presidential elections will be held on July 18 and votes will be counted on July 21.