TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee asserted that the future of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) bloc depends to a large extent on the performance of his party in West Bengal in the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing an election rally at Raghunathganj in Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency, where polling will be held on May 7, Banerjee asserted that the BJP will be “astonished” to see the results on June 4, and a “democratic and secular government” will be established in Delhi.
Coming down heavily on the Congress and CPI (M), its UPA bloc allies at the national level, the Diamond Harbour MP claimed that when Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were seeking the support of the Trinamool Congress for the formation of the opposition alliance, the parties’ West Bengal leaders were “effusively abusing” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
He charged the Congress and the CPI(M) with not raising voices on issues such as price rise, CAA or NRC, and working as “B-team” of the BJP. “Is it not true that the Mamata Banerjee government gives out financial doles under Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, which helps women run households? But has the Congress or the CPI (M) ever spoken against rising prices? It is clear they are working as the B-team of the BJP. They have also not uttered a single word against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) or NRC (National Register of Citizens). It is up to the people whom to vote for so that BJP is taught a lesson,” he said.
Mr. Banerjee alleged that the BJP has “unleashed” Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax Department on the TMC. “Even the helicopter on which I was supposed to fly was searched by I-T officials. A few days ago, a sinister plot to make an attempt on my life was thwarted due to timely intervention of Kolkata Police. But I am not scared,” he said.
