West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, said that the parties which are strong in a particular region should fight together and if she is supporting Congress in states such as Karnataka, "it should not fight against me in Bengal".
Talking to media persons at Nabannna, Banerjee, who is Trinamool Congress chief, said wherever a regional political party is strong there BJP cannot fight. She hit out at the BJP and said the verdict in Karnataka was "against the BJP government".
Mamata Banerjee's statement
"People are demoralised and frustrated... people are antagonised....the economy is ruined. Democratic rights are being bulldozed. Even the wrestlers are also not spared. So in this situation, I think whoever is strong in a particular region, should fight together. In Bengal, we (TMC) should fight...in Delhi, AAP should fight," Mamata Banerjee said.
She said Congress was strong on about 200 Lok Sabha seats and the party was willing to extend support there.
"In Bihar, Nitishji, Tejashwi, some part Congress is there, they will decide, I cannot decide on their formula. Wherever the regional party is very strong, so you see...Bihar, Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Punjab, the strong party must be given priority. Wherever Congress is strong in their respective 200 seats or something. Let them fight, we will give support, nothing is wrong (in that). But they (Congress) have to support the other political parties also. I am giving you the support in Karnataka. But, you are fighting against me every day - it should not be the policy," she added.
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury retorts
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury retorting said that Congress will definitely fight the election in West Bengal. Chowdhury said, "We will definitely fight elections; we will fight wherever it is needed."
Chowdhury further accused Mamata Banerjee of making giving such statements as with Congress victory in Karnataka she feels that without aligning with Congress, she will not be able to survive.
"With Congress victory, Mamata Banerjee now feels that she will not be able to work at any cost without doing compromise with Congress, ahead of Karnataka elections have you ever heard Mamata Banerjee saying, vote for Congress to defeat BJP. She is the same Mamata Banerjee who visited Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to support those who are fighting against BJP, but why did not she visit Karnataka to support Congress?" questioned Chowdhury.
Chowdhury slammed Mamata Banerjee
Chowdhury also slammed Bengal CM for ignoring Rahul Gandhi after the Karnataka victory and during Bharat Jodo Yatra and said she has not mentioned Rahul Gandhi's name even once after the party's victory in the Karnataka assembly elections.
"We emerged as winner in Karnataka but she did not mention Rahul Gandhi's name even for once. Even during, the Bharat Jodo Yatra she didn't say anything. That time also, when all the opposition leaders praised him, Mamata did not utter a word from her mouth. When he got disqualified from the Parliament she didn't say anything," he alleged.
Congress MP also claimed that it's because of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee managed to get into power in WB in 2011 and later she tried everything to make Congress out of Bengal politics.
