Mamata Banerjee has changed her tone on her party’s tie-up with INDIA bloc, saying she is part of the anti-BJP alliance on national level. She said it was her brainchild
AMN
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee clarified on Thursday that Trinamool Congress (TMC) is a part of the INDIA bloc at the national level and would continue to be in it. Mamata Banerjee’s clarification came a day after she announced that her party would extend “outside” support to the anti-BJP faction if it is elected to power.
During a rally in Hooghly district on Wednesday, the TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had said her party will extend support to the opposition INDIA bloc from outside to help it form the government at the Centre.
However, on Thursday, she clarified her statement, saying that she is part of the INDIA bloc at the national level and called the alliance her “brainchild”.
“At all India level, some people have misunderstood my statement yesterday. I am very much part of the INDIA alliance. The INDIA alliance was my brainchild. We are together at the national level and will continue to be together, she said.
However, she added that in West Bengal, her party will not support the Congress and CPM, alleging that both the parties have joined hands with BJP in the state.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury trained his guns on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, saying the TMC supremo is supporting INDIA bloc only to stay relevant in national politics. His remarks came after Mamata, who earlier said that she will offer outside support to INDIA bloc, re-affirmed her commitment to the bloc on Thursday.
“This clearly indicates that the India alliance is striding ahead and on the verge of forming the government and that’s is why as an astute and opportunist leader, Mamata Banerjee has decided to extend her support well in advance,” Chowdhury told reporters.
Both TMC and Congress were earlier planning to contest the Lok Sabha elections together in West Bengal but their seat-sharing talks failed. The TMC squarely blamed Adhir for the failure of a seat-sharing pact between the two parties.