Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday divulged the Opposition’s plan to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls saying that it will contest the polls across the country under the leadership of the party which is strong in its region. His statement came in response to the remark by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who said that she will support Congress wherever it is strong. “Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, KCR, and various political parties are trying to find a way,” said the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, reported news agency ANI.
“Wherever any party is strong, elections in all those places will be fought under their leadership,” he added.
On Monday, the Trinamool Congress chief said that her party would support the Congress "wherever it is strong". However, she stressed that Congress should reciprocate the same attitude towards the TMC if it wanted her support.
The statement, however, did not go well with the Congress party which came down heavily on Banerjee saying that it will “definitely fight” everywhere required.
“We will definitely fight...why only Bengal, we will fight everywhere required,” Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told news agency ANI.
Trading barbs against Banerjee, Chowdhury said the Bengal CM went to states like UP and Bihar to support the parties fighting against Bharatiya Janata Party but did not visit Karnataka “because Congress was contesting” there.
“This is the same Mamata Banerjee who goes to UP and Bihar to help the parties contesting against BJP but does not visit Karnataka because Congress was contesting.”
“Today when Congress won then she felt it will be difficult going forward in Bengal without Congress because Congress’s hold in Bengal is increasing day by day,” he added.