Rahul Gandhi writes to 'Mamata Di', extends support to TMC rally

Referring to TMC supremo as "Mamata Di", Rahul said in a letter, "We commend the great people of Bengal who have historically been at the forefront of defending our ideals.

"I extend my support to Mamata Di on this show of unity and hope that we send a powerful message of a united India together."

Congress' top brass Sonia and Rahul Gandhi may be skipping the rally but they are sending their party leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday. Congress' Abhishek Manu Singhvi will also be present, the TMC supremo confirmed.

The Saturday rally, which has been termed as "United India rally" by Mamata, is expected to showcase a host of national as well as state leaders who are opposed to the BJP which rules the Centre.

Attacking the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress chief also said in the letter, "The entire opposition is united in our belief that true nationalism and development can only be defended on the tested pillars of democracy, social justice and secularism, ideas that the BJP and Mr. Modi are intent on destroying."

Others like Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, DMK's MK Stalin, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are likely to attend the meeting.

Speaking about the rally, which will perhaps not witness any of the Left parties, Mamata said: "I think all the leaders are coming. It is a platform to fight the 2019 battle against BJP. Every political party will give their message. Earlier in 1989, when Jyoti Basu was alive, he organised a rally that time. But the rally was not that big..... this one will also be historic and a mega rally."

Current picture of United Opposition:

The TMC's rally will be held exactly a week after arch rivals- Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)- joined hands in Uttar Pradesh to stop the Narendra Modi juggernaut. However, the SP and BSP left out Congress accusing it of not transferring votes to its allies in polls.

Talks are also going on between the Congress and NCP to fight in equal number of seats in Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh, the SP and BSP will contest in 38 seats each, leaving Amethi and Rae Bareli seats, which are the Congress' strongholds.

In Bihar, the RJD is going to fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with the Congress and other smaller parties, in a direct contest with the Janata Dal (United)-BJP alliance.

Images: Congress and Mamata Banerjee Twitter