While the BJP has given a blow to the opposition and has been celebrating the retention of reigns in four states - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Goa in the recently held assembly polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has on Wednesday given a message to the BJP that despite its victory in the polls, the Central ruling party would find it difficult in winning the upcoming presidential election. 

Banerjee said that the BJP doesn't have even half the total number of legislators across the country. She further iterated that the game is not yet over. She said, "The presidential election will not be easy for the BJP this time. They don't have even half of the total MLAs in the country. Opposition parties together have more MLAs across the nation." 

"The game is not yet over. Even parties like the Samajwadi Party, which lost the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls has more MLAs than it had last time", Mamata added. The tenure of incumbent President Ram Nath Kovind comes to an end in the next few months and the race has begun for the nation's highest office. It seems that the ruling BJP will endorse Kovind for another term and if he wins the continuation, Kovind will become the first president in two decades to serve for the second consecutive term.

As per the Indian constitution, the Presidential elections are conducted indirectly through an electoral college comprising of members of Parliament and members of the legislative assemblies of states and Union territories. India has 4128 MLAs of which 1376 MLAs belong to BJP while the rest of the legislators belong to the opposition parties. While BJP enjoys a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, the party relies on the alliance in the Upper House, Rajya Sabha, as it is falling short of the majority mark. 

Currently, BJP can face a tough battle in the presidential polls if the opposition parties come under one roof. Mamata Banerjee has been in the process of architecting a new front to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. She has been in touch with several opposition parties who align with her politics. She made her statement on Wednesday in the assembly and while she was speaking, the opposition BJP has staged a walkout from the house.