AGENCY
KOLKATA: Leaders of some non-BJP and non-Congress parties on Friday suggested formation of a “federal front” at the Centre to challenge the BJP and said they might sit together to discuss such a possibility.
Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, who took oath as the West Bengal Chief Minister for the second consecutive term, supported the idea saying she would cooperate if such a front was formed by “like-minded parties”.
Lalu Prasad, who was here to attend the swearing-in ceremony, told reporters, “It is necessary to defeat the BJP as the party and Sangh Parivar are out to divide the country. There is no ‘Vikas’ (development) under the Modi government.”
Controversy erupts over Farooq’s phone call during National Anthem
Kolkata: Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was on Friday caught on camera talking on his mobile phone when the National Anthem was being played during Mamata Banerjee’s swearing-in ceremony.
State chief secretary Basudeb Banerjee requested all to stand up for the National Anthem at Red Road where the ceremony was being held.
Abdullah, also the National Conference president, was seen talking over his mobile phone when everyone was standing in attention.
Standing next to him was RJD leader Lalu Prasad. A galaxy of political leaders were present at the ceremony. Among them were Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar and DMK leader Kanimozhi.
Reacting to the incident, Senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said “I really don’t know what happened. But, whenever the national anthem is being played, we all should stand in attention.” PTI
