Kya baat hai! Those suffocating democracy talk of saving it: Modi on Mamata's mega rally | Live Updates

Chandrababu Naidu: This [BJP govt] was divide and rule ...but we will end it.

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said a joint election committee will be formed among the parties for better coordination in the coming days.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "We have collectively thanked Mamata didi for making history and bringing all leaders together. We will celebrate the victory of this in brigade very soon...There is a threat to the country. We need to fight BJP on every seat and collectively.

Singhvi also protested against the use of EVMs:

"Time is of the essence and we have limited time. Why should India not go back to the physical ballot system? Countries like Germany and The Netherlands have done away with EVM machines. We need a paper trail in these EVM machines."

Speaking at the press conference, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "We are alerting people...BJP is spreading hatred. They have no answers to the queries on what they have done in four-and-a-half years."

Attendees of Mamata's mega Kolkata rally are now doing a press conference.

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee tweeted, "Farooq Abdullah shouting at Brigade about saving the country from Modi’s rule and communalism when in reality, all they can think about is saving their bank accounts."

Farooq Abdullah shouting at Brigade about saving the country from Modi’s rule and communalism when in reality, all they can think about is saving their bank accounts. #UnitedAntiNationalsAtBrigade

Locket Chatterjee (@me_locket) January 19, 2019

Addressing the mega rally, rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha stepped up his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Rafale deal and said, "Why was the contract not given to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) that has the experience of manufacturing MiGs and Sukhoi but to a company [Anil Dhirubhai Ambani's Reliance Defence] that was formed 11 days ago?"

Read the full story here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday targeted the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) mulled by opposition parties, calling it a combine of those he prevented from looting India.

He also took potshots at the TMC's opposition rally in Kolkata while addressing a public function at Silvassa, the capital of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Read the full story here

BJP leader Babul Supriyo tweeted, "The TMC government in West Bengal has left democracy in shambles by not allowing campaigns of Opposition parties in desired form. How long can we let a government and its whimsical CM abuse democracy?"

The TMC government in West Bengal has left democracy in
shambles by not allowing campaigns of Opposition parties in desired
form. How long can we let a government and its whimsical CM abuse
democracy? #UnitedAntiNationalsAtBrigade @BJP4India @BJP4Bengal

Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) January 19, 2019

Won't allow danga fasad (riots) in the name of Rath Yatra in Bengal. Jitna bhi kosish karo Bengal mein zero milega (No matter how hard you try, you will get a zero in Bengal): Mamata

Rebel AAP MLA Kapil Mishra brought in the JNU sedition case to target party chief Arvind Kejriwal. "From opposing Modi you have gone to opposing the nation."

Making an allusion to JNU students, he said Kejriwal was now saving the "Tukde Tukde Gang". Mishra was referring to Delhi court's dismissal of the chargesheet filed by the police in the JNU sedition case. (Read about it here)

#TukdeTukdeGang


pic.twitter.com/ZpNEjMpc6c

Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) January 19, 2019

Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan took a jibe at the mega rally. He called the rally with "22 parties, few MPs and 3-4 PM candidates" as dreaming Mungerilal ke haseen sapne (making castles in air).

,

22 !
!!
- !


....

ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) January 19, 2019

Everyone must come together for the nation. Right now, collective leadership is important. We want a fight. A new government will be formed at the Centre. It is inevitable. Their expiry date has come. This is people's verdict," says Mamata.

If you can, do it. If you can’t then leave it. Today is the beginning of the end for BJP: Mayawati

Wherever BJP meets, we will hold a meeting at the same place the next day, says Mamata

Meanwhile, the unity rally of the Opposition has everyone interested on social media. Top 5 trends on Twitter right now are about Mamata Banerjee's rally.

History has led to this mahagathbandhan. Everybody has to come together to save the country. One city is not important but this country is important. We are starting our meeting over here in Kolkata. Now all of us will hold meetings in their respective states: Mamata Banerjee

"They ask who is the leader of this mahagathbandhan. We have so many leaders," says Mamata Banerjee on Opposition's PM face.

Switching between Hindi and Bengali, Mamata says, "The BJP is changing the history and the geography of the country. They [BJP] said will provide 2 crore jobs but the same number of people have lost jobs their jobs. They have introduced reservation but there are no jobs in the country," says Didi.

"We will work together to bring a new dawn for the country. Modi government has destroyed every institution be it CBI or ED. Jaago Bengal jaago, jaago manush jaao (Wake up Bengal, Wake up people)," says Mamata Banerjee.