KOLKATA/HALDIA: A day after Mamata Banerjee said that Trinamool Congress would "extend all possible help from outside" in the event of the INDIA bloc forming the next govt at the Centre, the Bengal CM clarified that her party would very much be a part of that regime.
On Wednesday, she had said at a rally in Chinsurah: "We will provide all support to the INDIA bloc - barring CPM and Congress of Bengal who are helping BJP - from outside to aid the formation of the govt in Delhi."
However, on Thursday, she said that her statement was misunderstood.
"I said there is no alliance in Bengal. But the INDIA bloc... it was created by me. We will form the next govt as part of the coalition. We were, are and will be in the INDIA coalition. We are the INDIA coalition in Bengal. Local CPM and local Congress are not a part of this as they have their own arrangement. Yes, I helped form the INDIA coalition and am very much a part of it," she said at a meeting in East Midnapore's Haldia. At another rally in West Midnapore's Egra, Banerjee said that TMC was the only INDIA bloc party in Bengal. "I am a part of INDIA bloc in Delhi... local CPM-Congress are BJP agents. That is why Congress seniors (from Delhi) have not come here for the meetings organised for their candidates. We will manage everything."