Jobaaj Stories
On Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee denied recent rumors regarding the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) stance and made it clear that the party is still a member of the Opposition's INDIA group. Even though the TMC's relationship with the Congress is tense in Bengal, she made these comments during an election rally in Haldia with the intention of dispelling misconceptions and emphasizing the party's national partnership.
Following her previous remarks of providing outside help to the INDIA bloc to form the government at the Center, Banerjee made this statement. There is no alliance between Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and TMC in Bengal, she stressed, even if TMC is still associated with the INDIA bloc in Delhi. Calling on voters to split their ballots, she accused the Congress and CPI(M) of working with the BJP.
"Attempts by the Congress and CPI(M), fuelled by BJP funds, to divide votes should be resisted. Do not vote for them here. I've made it clear that there's no alliance in Bengal, but we are aligned in Delhi. We will remain so,” Banerjee stated.
She reiterated her foundational role in the INDIA bloc, stressing her ongoing support. "I founded the INDIA alliance and will continue to support it. There should be no misunderstanding about that," she added.
Congressman Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on the other hand, expressed doubts about Banerjee's dedication to the coalition and hinted that she would switch to the BJP. "I have no faith in her. She fled the alliance after being expelled. She may also approach the BJP. "They were claiming that the Congress party would be destroyed and that the Congress would only win 40 seats, but now she's saying that the Congress party and the alliance are winning more seats," Chowdhury said.
Banerjee also discussed the contentious results of the 2021 Nandigram Assembly election during the event. Banerjee lost the Nandigram seat to Suvendu Adhikari, a former assistant who is now running for the BJP, despite the TMC's overall victory. She blamed the BJP and the opposition parties for alleged electoral irregularities that led to her loss.
"With the assistance of the Election Commission of India, the BJP changed the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police. On polling day, they orchestrated a power outage, leading to a change in the results. I will seek justice for this injustice, be it tomorrow or the future. BJP will not stay forever, nor will agencies like the CBI or ED. My case is still pending in court, and I will seek justice. This is not the verdict of the people of Nandigram," asserted Banerjee.
Considering the political climate of West Bengal in particular, Banerjee's confirmation of TMC's place within the INDIA bloc shows the details within the opposition's coalition dynamics. Her comments emphasize the continued conflict and calculated scheming among opposition groups as the 2024 elections draw near. Banerjee's position in Bengal is firmly independent, even if she still supports the INDIA group at the national level.
