Taking to her X handle, Mamata posted, “I vehemently condemn the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the sitting elected Chief Minister of Delhi elected by the people. I have personally reached out to Smt Sunita Kejriwal to extend my unwavering support and solidarity. It’s outrageous that while elected opposition CMs are being deliberately targeted and arrested while individuals accused under CBI/ED investigations are allowed to continue their malpractices with impunity, especially after aligning with the BJP. This is a blatant assault on democracy. “

“Today, our INDIA alliance will meet the EC to express our strong objection to the deliberate targeting and arrests of opposition leaders, particularly during the MCC period. To this end, I have designated @derekobrienmp and @MdNadimulHaque6 to represent @AITCofficial in this crucial meeting with the Election Commission,” the Trinamool Congress chief added.

Mamata Banerjee has a very cordial relationship with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal. Earlier when the Opposition alliance INDIA took shape, she took the initiative to include AAP in it. Arvind Kejriwal arrived in Kolkata along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and met the TMC chief before the INDIA bloc meeting. In December too, Mamata met Kejriwal before the INDIA alliance’s meeting in Delhi where both leaders decided to propose Mallikarjun Kharge’s name as the face of INDIA.

Earlier too, when Arvind Kejriwal was summoned by central investigating agencies, Mamata Banerjee criticised it, calling the move the BJP’s political vendetta on the Opposition.

The TMC leader is currently under a week’s rest at her residence owing to a forehead injury sustained recently due to which her response to Kejriwal’s arrest was limited to a post on X. The West Bengal unit of the AAP, however, will take out a protest on Friday against the arrest.