Mamta Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee backs Rahul Gandhi: Parliament disqualified Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, a day after a magistrate's court sentenced him to two years in a defamation case involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname. Gandhi unexpectedly received the support of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday. Banerjee characterized the disqualification as "PM Modi's New India" and claimed that opposition leaders have become "the BJP's primary target." https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial/status/1639198030523146240?ref_srctwsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1639198030523146240%7Ctwgr%5Eacaaf64e2b245a5ab925051ce39b3d5356e67b4f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_urlhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindustantimes.com%2Findia-news%2Fmamata-banerjee-backs-rahul-gandhi-slams-bjp-today-we-witnessed-101679650945366.html "In PM Modi's New India, the BJP's primary objective is now opposition leaders! While leaders of the BJP with criminal backgrounds are admitted to the cabinet, opposition leaders are disqualified for their speeches. Today, our constitutional democracy reached a new nadir," the Trinamool Congress leader tweeted. Gandhi received the support of another political rival and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, prompting Banerjee's response on Friday. After the Congress MP was sentenced to two years in prison in a defamation case, the AAP national convenor openly supported him and claimed a conspiracy was being hatched to "eliminate" non-BJP leaders and parties through prosecution. The court in Surat sentenced Gandhi to two years in prison on Thursday in a defamation case lodged by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his alleged remark, "Why do all thieves share the surname Modi?" Also Read | Rahul Gandhi disqualified as Lok Sabha MP after conviction In the eight years following his disqualification, Rahul Gandhi would be unable to run for office unless a higher court vacates his conviction and sentence.In response to Gandhi's disqualification, the Congress stated that it will "legally and politically" wage war.