New Delhi: Taking a dig at its I.N.D.I alliance partner Congress, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said the grand old party was “teaming up” with CPI(M) to strengthen the BJP in the state, news agency PTI reported.
Addressing a public event in Malda on Wednesday, CM Banerjee said, “The Congress does not have even one MLA in the state assembly. I offered them two Lok Sabha seats, both in Malda, but they wanted more. So, I told them I will not share a single seat with them. CPI(M) is their leader... have they forgotten the tortures of the CPI(M)? I will never forgive the CPI(M). I will also not forgive those who support the CPI(M)... because by doing so they actually support the BJP. I have seen that in the last panchayat elections.”
The TMC supremo also said that she has “no objection” if anyone from the family of former Congress leader from Malda, late Gani Khan Chowdhury, contests the election, but asserted that her party, too, will contest from Malda.
“But the TMC will also contest. They (Congress) will fight along with the CPI(M), to strengthen the BJP... only the TMC is capable of politically fighting the BJP in the state,” PTI quoted CM Banerjee as saying.
The TMC supremo also said she will stage a dharna from Friday if the state’s dues are not cleared by the Centre by then and she also sought support for the protest.
“I have given them an ultimatum till February 1 to clear all dues of the state, failing which I will stage a dharna from February 2. If the dues are not cleared, I know how to get it through a movement. I urge all party leaders and workers to participate in the dharna... I want everyone's support,” the West Bengal chief minister told the media.