KOLKATA: Hours after Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee branded the CPM as BJP’s prime agent and launched sporadic attacks on the Left party and the Congress during her districts visit, senior leaders of the state’s erstwhile ruling party joined the grand old party’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Thursday in Murshidabad.
CPM’s state secretary Mohammad Selim and central committee member Sujan Chakrabarty and others joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s yatra in Mushidabad, giving a clear indication that the two allies of the INDIA bloc are all set to share seats in West Bengal in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
However, Mamata, on Thursday, continued slamming the CPM for joining the Congress to secure BJP’s electoral dividend while addressing a gathering in Nadia’s Shantipur.
“Bengal will show the path to uproot the BJP from the Centre. Our party will contest in the Lok Sabha polls alone. We wanted to share seats but the Congress did not respond. I agreed to give them two seats but they wanted more. The CPM joined hands with them to help the BJP,” said Mamata.
CPM’s red flags co-existed with Congress’ party flags during Gandhi’s yatra event that marched along arterial roads in Behrampore, Mushidabad, a stronghold of the grand old party.
Mamata also reminded the gathering about the alleged atrocities during the regime of the CPM in West Bengal. “We have come here to express our solidarity. Our presence in Gandhi’s yatra event is an expression that we are in favour of justice and against injustice,” said CPM’s Selim.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the CPM and the Congress formed alliance and contested by sharing seats. The yatra has covered 523 km across six West Bengal districts, and is scheduled to enter Jharkhand on Friday. Taking a jibe at the alliance between the two parties, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, “The Congress has forgotten that it was the CPM that had branded Rahul’s grandmother Indira Gandhi a witch. In the graffiti, they also portrayed his father Rajiv Gandhi as a thief.”
‘Wanted to share seats but Cong did not respond’
Mamata continued slamming the CPM for joining the Congress to secure BJP’s electoral dividend. “We wanted to share seats but the Congress did not respond. I agreed to give them two seats but they wanted more. The CPM joined hands with them to help the BJP,” said Mamata