Protests against the Centre erupted in Kolkata on Monday. (Express photo/Partha Paul) Protests against the Centre erupted in Kolkata on Monday. (Express photo/Partha Paul)

The face-off between the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata has once again united the Opposition in its attempts to attack the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Support for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo poured in from various political parties on Monday, a day after a team of CBI officials were detained by Kolkata Police and prevented from probing Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with ponzi scam.

While Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal spoke to the chief minister and expressed his solidarity over “Modi-Shah’s bizarre action” on phone, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav decided to make a visit to the city on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal said, “Spoke to Mamata didi and expressed solidarity. Modi-Shah duo’s action is completely bizarre and anti-democracy.” Yadav tweeted, “Spoke to respected Mamataji. Extended RJD’s support, BJP has not only venomous and nefarious agenda against opposition leaders but Indian Administrative Service & Police Officers. Might visit Kolkata tomorrow.”

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also backed the Bengal CM and alleged that the BJP wants to stay in power “by hook or by crook” and was using the CBI as an “election agent”. “The BJP wants to stay in power by hook or by crook. They are so scared of losing (general elections) and the CBI is being used as election agents,” the SP leader said.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhaga president MK Stalin said he was with the TMC chief in her “fight” to “save democracy”. The independence of every institution has been compromised under this fascist BJP Government. I stand with Mamata didi in her fight to protect the federal structure of this country and to save democracy,” he tweeted.

Alleging that the Modi government at the Centre was acting with vengeance against the Bengal CM as the opposition parties’ rally in the Kolkata last month had been a great success, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said, “Cases against those who surrender to the BJP are being lifted. They are digging out old cases against those who oppose the BJP. The recent Kolkata rally was successful, hence the vengeance against Mamata Banerjee.”

In his daily teleconference with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders, Naidu said after Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, it was now the turn of Mamata Banerjee to face a “witch-hunt”.

Hitting out at the saffron party, Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal, in a statement, said, “Institutional integrity of the CBI has to be restored. We are a mature democracy and professionalism should be maintained.”

However, the party later clarified that its statement was related to the “overall issues confronting CBI at the national level” and that it was not associated with any other political party. “They are completely damaging the Centre-state relations,” he said.

Odisha Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik tweeted, “What’s happening in Bengal is a shameless display of abuse of power, throttling of our institutions and a blatant attack on our federal structure. Every patriotic Indian should stand up to evil designs of the Modi-Shah duo who are on a mission to undermine our Constitution.”

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd