KOLKATA: Amartya Sen, a Nobel laureate asserted that it would be a mistake to deem that the 2024 Lok Sabha polls would be a one-horse race in favour of the BJP, and felt that the role of a number of regional parties would be very important for the upcoming general election.

The Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has the potential to become India's next prime minister, but it is yet unknown whether the West Bengal chief minister will be able to mobilise public resentment against the BJP.

"Several regional parties, in my opinion, are unquestionably significant. I believe the DMK is a major party, as is the TMC, and the Samajwadi Party has some standing, but I'm not sure if it could be expanded.

In a press brefing he siad, "I think it would be a mistake to take the dismissive view that there is no other party that can take the place of BJP since it has established itself as a party with a vision that is slanted in the direction of Hindus over the rest of the country."

For the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, leaders of a number of parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Janata Dal (United), have urged for a new coalition that includes the Congress. They have emphasised that a divided election will result in the BJP losing.

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