Kolkata showdown turns into Didi vs Modi tussle

​Kolkata/New Delhi:  The full-blown political stand-off between Mamata Banerjee and the Central government continued through the day, with the Chief Minister refusing to budge from her sit-in protest in the heart of Kolkata. 

The issue pitched Banerjee to the forefront of a united Opposition, whose leaders tore into the Central government and took on the government on the floor of Parliament and outside.  

The Central Bureau of Investigation, whose move to barge into the house of the Kolkata police chief and question him triggered the mega row, went to the Supreme Court, which will hear the evidence against Rajeev Kumar on Tuesday. 

The goings-on in West Bengal also resonated in Parliament with repeated disruptions and was finally adjourned for the day after leaders of TMC and other parties hit out at the BJP-led government over alleged "misuse" of the CBI by it to target Opposition leaders. Mamata's combative posturing on the issue also became a rallying point for various Opposition parties, who are trying to sew up an anti-BJP alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Mamata accused the Modi government of having snatched farmers' sleep and while referring to the sops announced in the interim Budget on Friday claimed that the peasants were being cheated before the general election. 

She virtually threatened the Central government saying that if you have Article 355, 356, we also have section 144. Mamata also said that since exams are starting from February 9, we will continue the dharna till February 8.  The Chief Minister is on a dharna since Sunday night over the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police commissioner in connection with chit fund scams.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and DMK leader Kanimozhi reached Kolkata on Monday evening to express their solidarity with West Bengal CM. TMC spokesperson Derek O'Brien said that 22 parties have extended their support to the protest against the Centre as he sought to project her as a leader who has succeeded in uniting the entire Opposition against the alleged misuse of the CBI.

"Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, DMK's Kanimozhi have expressed their desire to join the protest and are going to Kolkata. Others like Samajwadi Party's leader Kiranmay Nanda have already visited the protest site," said O'Brien. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has also extended his party's support to Mamata.