MUMBAI: Faultlines in the opposition once again came to the fore on Saturday when West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Congress was making Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP “more powerful” by acting as the saffron party’s publicist.
“Modiji is going to be more powerful because of the Congress... because the Congress is the BJP’s TRP (television rating points). If they (the Congress) cannot take a decision, the country will suffer. Why (should) the country suffer, they have had enough opportunities,” the Trinamool Congress party chief said.
She also ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Congress but said regional parties should come together to defeat the BJP in Goa. Mamata is in Goa on a three-day visit ahead of the assembly elections next year and has inducted several people, including Indian tennis legend Leander Paes.
Mamata accused the Congress of failing to recognise the need for opposition unity before the West Bengal assembly elections in April-May. “The Congress turned down a chance to ally with the Trinamool, opting instead to work with the Left and the controversial Indian Secular Front. Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury grandly declared that there will not be any BJP nor Trinamool, only the grand alliance will remain,” she said.
“Instead of contesting against the BJP, the Congress party contested against me in Bengal. The morning shows the day, don’t you think? They contested against me, my party. What do you think... we will give flowers to them?” the TMC supremo asked.
Regarding an alliance with the Goa Forward Party, Mamata said: “It is their decision, we want to avoid division of votes (between their two parties). Regional and local parties can work together and give a good fight to the BJP,” she said.
‘Won’t turn Goa into coal hub’
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacted with fisherfolk in Velsao, Goa, on Saturday during his first visit to the state before the assembly elections next year. He said he would not allow the state to turn into a “coal hub” as the environment was important