West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a swipe at Congress on Friday, expressing skepticism about the party's potential to secure even 40 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This critique follows Banerjee's recent decision for Trinamool Congress to contest all 42 seats in West Bengal, signaling a departure from the opposition alliance.
In a statement to ANI, Banerjee said, "I doubt if you (Congress) will win 40. I was offering two seats and would have let them win. But they wanted more. I said okay, contest on all 42 then. Rejected! There has been no conversation with them since."
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Banerjee expressed her disappointment after learning about Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra through unofficial channels. She remarked, "They have come to do a programme in Bengal but did not even inform me as an INDIA bloc member. I got to know through administrative sources. They had called Derek to request that the rally be allowed to pass through."
The rift intensified despite Rahul Gandhi's earlier statement emphasizing the closeness between Mamata Banerjee and Congress. Gandhi had said, "Mamata Banerjee is very close to me and our party," during negotiations on seat-sharing.
Banerjee not only criticized Congress but also challenged the party to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, stating, "If you have the courage, defeat the BJP in UP, Banaras, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh."
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Furthermore, Banerjee ruled out an alliance with arch-rival CPI (M), accusing them of perpetrating killings of opposition activists during their rule in the state. Both CPI (M) and Congress are members of the INDIA bloc.
The ongoing delay in seat-sharing talks and continuous attacks by Congress's Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Mamata Banerjee have evoked strong reactions from Trinamool Congress. The rift highlights the challenges and tensions within the opposition as the electoral landscape takes shape.
