Amid the internal strife between the INDIA bloc parties, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee proposed a new idea of regional leaders heading the fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party in specific regions.
The TMC supremo suggested that Congress independently contest 300 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming general elections. She also took a dig at Communist Party of India (Marxist) of trying to control the Opposition bloc’s agenda, accentuating that no one confronts the saffron party as directly as Banerjee does.
Addressing an all-faith harmony rally in Kolkata, Banerjee said, “I insist that particular regions should be left to regional parties. They (Congress) can fight on 300 (Lok Sabha) seats alone, and I will help them. I will not contest those seats. But, they are adamant about doing what they want.”
Her confidence is the resultant of a recent internal party meeting which led her to assert that TMC can contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal alone if it is not given due importance.
Without mentioning Congress, Banerjee took dig at the party for the delay in seat-sharing discussions. The Bengal chief minister said, “I have the power to take on the BJP and fight against it. But, some people don’t want to listen to us about seat-sharing. If you don’t want to fight the BJP, then at least don’t give away seats to it.”
She also slammed the Left front led by CPI(M) and said that she refrains from accepting their attempts to control the INDIA bloc meetings.
“I suggested the name INDIA during a meeting of the opposition bloc. But whenever I attend the coalition’s meetings, I find the Left trying to gain control. This is not acceptable. I cannot agree with those with whom I had fought for 34 years,” she said.
She said that even after such “insults” she compromises and attends the INDIA bloc meetings.
MAMATA’S DIG AT CONGRESS
After criticising the Congress party for the delayed seat-sharing talks, Banerjee, while apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi being stopped from visiting a temple in Assam, said “Just going to the temple isn’t enough.
Emphasising on her long-standing opposition against BJP, Banerjee said, “How many politicians today took on the BJP head-on? Somebody went to one temple and thought it was sufficient, but it was not. I am the only one who visited the temple, gurudwara, church, and mosque. When the Babri Masjid issue (demolition) happened, and violence was taking place, I was on the streets.”
REACTIONS FROM CONGRESS, CPI(M)
Congress:
Reacting to the TMC supremo’s remarks, Congress’ Bengal president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “She is totally trying to play double standard. She understands the ‘hawa’ and changes according to it. She wants to benefit BJP and TMC.”
This is her “bahana” (excuse), she “wants to divide vote between Modi and Didi (Mamata Banerjee)”, he said.
Chowdhury had even said that Congress cannot comment on the “whims and fancies of the TMC leadership”, adding that they can do whatever they feel like.
While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi — addressing a press conference — on Tuesday said, “We have good relations with Mamata, yes sometimes there are statements and counter statements, but this is not going to disrupt anything.”
“One side there is Narendra Modi and RSS and the other is INDIA bloc,” Gandhi said.
CPI(M):
Meanwhile, CPI(M) central committee member, Sujan Chakraborty dismissed the allegations about his party trying to control the INDIA bloc meetings’ agenda.
CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Mohammed Salim told News18 that the TMC supremo has always gone with communal side. He also said that she should ease down on the “counter temple narrative”, saying that there is no requirement to go to “mandir, masjid”.
Referring to her remarks about seat-sharing, Salim said that “INDIA bloc is not seat-sharing electoral alliance”, citing that various states have different equations.
He said that Banerjee started off as a camp against CPI(M), adding that she does not intend on demolishing BJP or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
“From one day she wanted to protect PM,” Salim said.
He claimed that Banerjee is setting up a counter narrative, that she does not have “politics or ideology” and which is why she “cannot challenge BJP”.
“BJP is her natural ally, all of her frustration is coming out,” Salim said while taking a dig at the TMC chief.
He also clarified that CPI(M)’s equation with the Congress does not depend on TMC. “We have got invitation from Rahul Gandhi to join the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,” he said.
Salim added that his party had support in Assam and will have it in Bengal as well. “We will be with those people who will be against BJP and TMC here (Bengal),” Salim said.
(With PTI inputs)
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