Mamata Banerjee said that the Congress and the CPI(M) are indirectly supporting the BJP.
TMC-Congress Relationship: On Sunday, the Trinamool Congress’s (TMC’s) MP Derek O’Brien was present with the INDIA alliance members in New Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan as part of the mega opposition rally.
Interestingly, at the same time, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had a different programme up her itinerary while she was touring Nadia. Mamata Banerjee said that her party is fighting against the Congress. Going ahead, she said that the Congress and the CPI(M) are indirectly supporting the BJP.
In New Delhi, O’Brien affirmed, “TMC is very much was, is and will be part of the INDIA alliance.” In Nadia, Mamata Banerjee averred that “Voting for Congress means voting for BJP,” thus implying a strategic divergence from Congress.
The Bengal CM claimed that the TMC is contesting against the alliance of CPM-BJP-Congress, as she denounced any formal coalition formation.
“Congress is contesting the elections in alliance with the Left here. Voting for them means voting for BJP,” said the West Bengal Chief Minister adding that TMC is fighting against the alliance of the CPM-BJP-Congress.
“We are fighting alone. I have heard that the CPM and Congress are saying that they are fighting as part of the INDIA alliance. Here, no alliance has been formed. Here a scam has happened. The CPM-BJP-Congress are on one side and the Trinamool is on the other side,” said Mamata Banerjee adding that Congress and CPI(M) are extending support to BJP which is a “riotous” party.
“Do you remember Bilkis Bano’s case? Do you remember the Hathras incident? Do you remember the riots in Gujarat? So remember, BJP is a riotous party, and Congress and CPM have supported them,” she said.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh sought to clarify the party’s position. He said that the TMC is totally committed to the INDIA alliance at the national level but in Bengal, Congress and CPM are giving an advantage to the BJP.
“INDIA alliance has been floated by our leader Mamata Banerjee, the name ‘INDIA’ was also given by the CM. We are with the INDIA alliance at the national level, but in West Bengal, the state Congress and CPM have become the agents of the BJP. They don’t have an organisation to fight the BJP, but they do politics against TMC to give advantage to BJP, and hence in Bengal, TMC will contest all 42 seats against the BJP, Congress, and CPM,” said Kunal Ghosh while talking to the news agency ANI.
As per the pre-poll arrangements, TMC is fighting the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on its own in West Bengal which means that the party is contesting all 42 Lok seats against BJP, Congress, and CPM in the state.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, claimed that Mamata Banerjee’s distancing from the alliance stems from fear of Prime Minister Modi and potential scrutiny by investigative agencies.
“Mamata Banerjee is worried about facing Modi. She is worried that if the ED and CBI start visiting TMC on Modi’s orders, it could pose a risk to the TMC party. So, by distancing herself from the alliance, Mamata Banerjee is sending a message to Modi’s office: Don’t be upset with me; I’m not part of the alliance and I won’t compete with the BJP,” he said.
Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases in West Bengal.
(With ANI inputs)
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