Mamata Banerjee raises 'khela hobe' slogan in Delhi, says 2024 battle will be 'Modi vs country'

By Naveen Kapoor

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): 'Khela hobe' is a continuous process and will happen all over the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday, referring to the key slogan of the Trinamool Congress in state assembly polls earlier this year in which the party returned to power with a thumping majority.

Mamata Banerjee, who is camping in Delhi and holding deliberations with opposition parties, met senior leaders from Congress on Tuesday.

She met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is slated to meet her.

The Chief Minister told the media that she spoke with RJD leader Lalu Prasad on Tuesday.

Asked if she will be the opposition face in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, she did not give a direct answer and said she was "not a political astrologer".

"I am not a political astrologer, it depends on the system, depends on political parties. I cannot impose my decision on others. Today I have a meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal is coming, Laluji also called. We are talking to each other. After the Parliament session, we must start meeting. When I meet there will be a political discussion, I'm a simple worker. I don't want to say that I am the face," she said.

She also said that the next general election will be "Modi versus country" and all opposition parties should come together in the next three years.

"Poore desh me khela hobe. It's a continuous process...When general elections come (2024), it will be Modi vs country," she said.

Trinamool Congress repeatedly raised 'Khela hobe' (the game is on) slogan during the assembly polls earlier this year in West Bengal.

On Pegasus issue, Mamata Banerjee alleged that her phone is tapped.

"My phone is already tapped. If Abhishek's (Mukherjee) phone is tapped, and I am talking to him, then, automatically my phone is tapped too. Pegasus has put everyone's life in danger," she said.

Mamata Banerjee also took on the government on rising prices of petroleum products.

"GDP now stands for gas-diesel-petrol. The government is collecting money from the public but it has money for COVID-19 vaccines," she said.

Mamata Banerjee came reached Delhi on Monday and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. (ANI)