Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee’s appeal to the Opposition Congress and the CPM to come and fight the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) together has fallen flat, with both the Congress and CPM rejecting the proposal outright. As a face-saving explanation, the TMC on Thursday said that the Chief Minister’s statement had been misinterpreted by the media and Banerjee had never requested for a tie-up with the Congress and CPM.
On TMC’s behalf, Tapas Roy said that media houses have “misled people” and reported that Mamata Banerjee wanted a tie-up with Congress and CPM to fight BJP in the state. Roy said that Banerjee has urged the CPM and Congress to jointly fight against the BJP just as she has urged all parties at the national level and tried to form a federal front to fight the BJP. After Roy’s clarification, both the Congress and CPM walk out in protest at the Assembly on Thursday.
According to political leaders from the Opposition parties, the TMC is now reeling under a “poaching blitzkrieg”, agitation over cut (bribe) money and the BJP’s alleged moves at religious polarisation and, thus, the TMC has become desperate to form a united forum to fight the BJP in the state. But the Opposition saw through the game and rejected the proposal. On Wednesday, Banerjee had said in the floor of the Assembly that people of Bengal should realise that by voting the BJP to power, a situation like Bhatpara can erupt.
Congress leader Abdul Mannan criticised the TMC and claimed that Banerjee herself was responsible for creating a space for the BJP in Bengal and steadily the BJP has increased its vote share in Bengal; Sujan Chakraborty of CPM rejected Banerjee’s proposal outright. Chakraborty said: “The TMC is now at a loss after the BJP’s massive inroads in Bengal and the TMC is being paid back in the same coin by the BJP with regards to defection, policy of capture of party offices which the party used to do vigorously by weaning away leaders from the Opposition parties and so we have rejected this proposal.” Mukul Roy, BJP leader, said: “Mamata Banerjee has finally admitted in the Assembly that BJP is a strong force and that she needs the help of both the Congress and CPM to tide over the crisis. It shows her desperation. It’s true that within six months, the TMC will be shattered and elections have to be declared in Bengal.”
Bishwanath Chakraborty, a senior political analyst, said: “The TMC is day dreaming that both the Congress and CPM will help TMC in turbulent times.” Maidul Islam, assistant professor of political science at the Centre for Studies, however, said: “Banerjee’s appeasement policy towards Muslims has led to the strengthening of the BJP in the state, and her appeal will not leave a mark on both the Congress and CPM.”