Congress and CPM are ‘two eyes’ of BJP, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday called Congress and CPM the two “eyes” of BJP, claiming they were dividing votes despite knowing they could not win.

Banerjee was addressing a public rally at Chakulia in North Dinajpur under Raiganj constituency, where CPM and Congress — contesting separately in 2019 — had polled around 2.7 lakh votes; TMC’s base was dented and BJP won the seat.

“Is there any presence of Congress in Bengal? Zero. Even for the sake of argument, if I believe that India bloc wins the elections, who created it? It was me. I told Congress that despite you having no assembly seats, I will give you two LS seats to contest. Do not go for politics that will allow the votes to split. Did they agree? Congress and CPM are joining forces here but fighting each other in Kerala,” the CM said. “Those who are fighting against TMC are the two eyes of BJP, one is CPM and the other is Congress. BJP gives them a lot so that they can cut the minority vote,” she added.

Banerjee said that though she was opposed to Congress accounts getting frozen, she did not agree with the view that the party did not have money. “Who is in office in Telangana, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh? Who is in office with their ally in Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand?” she said.

Taking a dig at the local Congress candidate, Banerjee said: “I heard he is begging money from the people. While coming here, I saw more posters and festoons in his name than our party candidate’s. Where did you get the funds?” she said.

Banerjee also took on CPM state secretary Md Salim, who is contesting from Murshidabad. “He is one more eye of BJP who has gone to Murshidabad in order to split the votes,” she said. “I will tell everyone not to give even a single vote to traitors.”

The CM also criticised defence minister Rajnath Singh, who had addressed a rally in north Bengal on Sunday. “First, save your seat, then come here and do dalaali for BJP. BJP does not even care about you. Because of you, tyrant Modi is sitting as the PM of India,” she said.

Banerjee claimed that despite Singh’s assertion that CAA would be implemented in the state, it would not happen. “I dare you to touch us... You are threatening that if you win 30 seats, govt will fall. First get 10 seats. You have toppled govts in Goa and Maharashtra. You have jailed Arvind (Kejriwal). You have arrested Hemant Soren, you have jailed several of our leaders, but it is not easy to oust this govt,” the CM said.

Three Congress block presidents joined Trinamool in the CM’s presence.