West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to bankrupt her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), using the power of money. The accusations were made at a rally in West Midnapore after the influential TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari and his family lost him.
“All West Midnapore TMC MLAs are here today. I want to tell those who spread hoaxes against TMC leaders that we are the most honest party. We are not like the BJP that is using their money bags to evict opposition-led governments in the states and trying to bankrupt opposition parties, ”Banerjee said while addressing the rally Monday.
Banerjee, who called the TMC “a tough nut to crack” that will not give up on the saffron party, said he would not give in to attempts to “blackmail and negotiate” his party before the polls.
“The corrupt are now joining the BJP. The CPI (M) thugs have now changed sides and are working as BJP cadres, ”he alleged.
This was Banerjee’s first rally in the West Midnapore district after Adhikari resigned from the state cabinet, widening his gap with the ruling party. It was meant to test the waters in the district where Adhikari has a support base; his hometown is in the neighboring district of East Midnapore.
Adhikari recently resigned as minister and said it was difficult for him to work with the TMC leadership. Party leaders tried to pacify Adhikari, but the stalemate continues.
Banerjee had recently issued a stern warning to those who indulged in anti-party activities and had asked TMC leaders in contact with the opposition to resign from the ruling party rather than weaken it.
Adhikari had organized a demonstration last week without the TMC banners and flags at Garbeta in the West Midnapore district.
Shortly after Adhikari began distancing himself from the ruling party, the BJP began to show its muscles in the state. On Saturday, West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh held a rally in the Wast Midnapore district. On Monday, the party attempted to stage a protest march to Uttar Kanya, the branch of the secretariat of state in Siliguri in North Bengal, as part of the BJP’s ongoing agitation programs against the TMC government.
In the 2019 by-elections, the ruling TMC made impressive progress in the Kaliaganj assembly constituencies in Uttar Dinajpur and Kharagpur in West Midnapore. Adhikari, who was in charge of the party in five of the state’s 23 districts, received credit for the success.
The Adhikari family wields influence over at least 40-45 assembly seats in West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram, parts of Birbhum, mainly in the Junglemahal region and minority-dominated areas in Murshidabad.
Elections for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are likely to take place between April and May next year.
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