India / Mamata opened door to BJP with TMC-BJP alliance in 1999: Adhir Ranjan

Vikrant Shekhawat : Dec 24, 2020, 11:30 AM
New Delhi: West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury blasted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing her of opening the political doors of the state to BJP by forging an alliance with the saffron party during the 1999 Lok Sabha polls and joining Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government.

People of Bengal didn’t have any relation with BJP, said Adhir claiming that the Congress had cautioned her then.

BJP could strengthen its foothold in Bengal due to her, he added.

'Mamata has given space to communal politics'

In an interview to ET, Adhir said that by labelling BJP and the RSS nationalist outfits, she has given space to "communal politics" of BJP in Bengal. 

On Suvendu Adhikari joining the BJP after dumping TMC, Adhir said that the Chief Minister is being paid back in the same coin.

BJP is poaching Trinamool legislators and MPs in the same illegal manner as Mamata has been poaching MLAs of Congress and Left, the Congress leader said adding that if the saffron party has gained national notoriety for poaching Opposition legislators, Mamata’s party TMC has acquired regional notoriety for doing the same thing.

BJP is making Suvendu do the same against Mamata, said Adhir and said he is still standing with the people and fighting the twin danger of TMC and BJP alike.

‘Her chickens have come home to roost’

Suvendu Adhikari recently joined the BJP in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah. A senior TMC leader slammed Suvendu saying there is no place for "traitors" in the politics of West Bengal.

Adhikari's joining of hands with "forces that spread hate and divide people" will not be accepted by the people of his home district Purba Medinipur, the TMC said. 

When asked on why Trinamool, Congress and Left were unable to join hands against BJP in Bengal, Chowdhury called Mamata “arrogant”.

As the leader of the ruling party and as the CM the onus was on Mamata Banerjee to shed her arrogance and reach out to the Congress and others to forge an alliance against BJP, said Adhir.

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