'Doubt If Congress Can Secure Even 40 Seats': Mamata Asks Party To Confront BJP In Heartland States

Lok Sabha Election: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee challenged Congress to confront BJP in the Hindi heartland states, expressing skepticism whether the party can secure even 40 seats if it contests 300.

File Photo of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a meeting of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc last year. ( Image Source :PTI )

In a fiery rebuke, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenged the Congress to confront the BJP in the Hindi heartland states, expressing skepticism about the grand old party's ability to secure even 40 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at a dharna in Kolkata demanding the clearance of the state's dues by the Centre, Banerjee asserted, "I proposed that Congress contest 300 seats, but they refused to heed. Now, they've arrived in the state to stir up Muslim voters. I doubt whether they will secure even 40 seats if they contested 300", as reported by news agency PTI.

Critiquing the Congress party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which traversed through six districts of the state, CM Banerjee likened it to a mere photo opportunity for migratory birds.

She reiterated her party's willingness to form an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal but highlighted that it was the grand old party that declined her offer. "We were open to an alliance, offering them two seats which they rejected. Now let them contest in all 42 seats alone. Since then, there has been no dialogue between us," she remarked during the dharna, as per PTI.

The West Bengal Chief Minister challenged the Congress to take on the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, questioning their commitment and highlighting their absence during the turmoil in Manipur. "If you have the courage, defeat the BJP in UP, Banaras, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. Where were you (Congress) when Manipur was burning? We had sent a team," she said, challenging the grand old party's performance in key states.

Deriding Congress's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Banerjee drew a comparison with migratory birds, characterising the event as a mere spectacle for photo opportunities lacking genuine intent. "Despite being an alliance partner of INDIA, they did not inform me. I got to know through administrative sources. They had called Derek O'Brien to request that the rally be allowed to pass through. Why come to Bengal then?" she questioned the Congress's intentions regarding the yatra traversing through the state.

Despite Congress's efforts to reconcile following a deadlock over seat-sharing in West Bengal, Banerjee remained firm in her refusal to allocate seats. According to PTI, sources suggest that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which traversed through six districts of North Bengal, may have triggered Banerjee's stance. Notably, districts like Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, and Murshidabad, known for their significant minority population and traditional Congress support, were part of the yatra's route.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Congress Still Hopeful Of Seat-Sharing Agreement With TMC

Meanwhile, the Congress has expressed hope for a seat-sharing deal with the TMC as during an interaction with the party's 'digital media warriors' in West Bengal on Thursday night, Rahul Gandhi assured that the issue would be resolved.

Responding to a query about why the Congress was prioritising TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee, despite her reported reluctance to allocate a single Lok Sabha seat to the party in the state, Gandhi clarified, "Neither Mamata-ji has said, nor the Congress has come out of the alliance. Even Mamata-ji is saying that she is in the alliance. Seat negotiations are on from both ends. It will be resolved".

मैं मुश्किल सवालों से नहीं डरता, फिर वो INDIA गठबंधन पर हो, कांग्रेस छोड़ गए नेताओं पर हो या #PaanchNYAY पर।

पश्चिम बंगाल में डिजिटल मीडिया योद्धाओं के साथ एक लंबी और सार्थक चर्चा हुई।

ईमानदारी से खुलकर सवालों का जवाब देना अच्छा लगता है, सत्ता में बैठे लोग भी कोशिश कर सकते हैं। pic.twitter.com/ZFxHvPDP1q

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 2, 2024

On Thursday, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "In an alliance, there's a give-and-take dynamics. We are hopeful of reaching a consensus on a joint seat-sharing formula in the state that satisfies all parties involved."

Despite Banerjee's declaration that she would not allocate any seats to the Congress, Ramesh remained confident of getting the TMC along in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal. "I have heard about her statement, but it reflects her opinion, not the consensus of the alliance. Both the TMC and the Congress share the common goal of defeating the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," remarked Ramesh, as per PTI.

While the CPI(M), Congress, and TMC form part of the 27-party opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A., in West Bengal, the grand old party has aligned with the CPI(M) against TMC and BJP. In the 2019 elections, TMC secured 22 seats, Congress won two, and the BJP bagged 18 seats in the state. Tensions escalated when TMC's offer of two seats, based on Congress' 2019 Lok Sabha election performance, was deemed insufficient by the latter.

The TMC had previously allied with the Congress in the 2001 assembly polls, the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, and the 2011 assembly polls, leading to the ousting of the CPI(M)-led Left Front government of 34 years.

Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive