‘BJP is not strong, we are weak; TMC-Congress-Left alliance possible in Bengal’: Mamata Banerjee

PTI

New Delhi, December 18

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate will be decided after the polls, adding that a TMC-Congress-Left alliance, who are part of the opposition grouping, is possible in her state too.

Talking to reporters here, Banerjee expressed confidence the INDIA bloc will resolve all issues including those related to seat-sharing at its meeting on Tuesday.

While stating that the BJP has “media and money power”, Banerjee said people are with opposition parties. She also dismissed suggestions that the alliance has lost time in putting things in order, saying “it is better late than never”.

“Have some faith... We will discuss together, they were busy with elections, we were busy with festivals... every state has their own problem... We are ready to fight every inch,” she said.

Asked about the possibility of an alliance between the TMC-Congress and Left in West Bengal, she said, “someone has to bell the cat”.

“I don’t have any problem if they have the genuine thing. In Bengal they (Congress) have only two seats... I am open to talks,” she said.

“First you have to prepare mentally, in-principal agree, then maybe, one, two political parties may not agree, but if majority of the political parties agree for seat sharing one on one, automatically everyone will come together. I don’t have any differences with anybody, I have political differences... But I don’t have any vendetta not to work with anybody, I can work with anybody.”

“I don’t have any problem,” she said when asked about the Left.

Asked about the possibility of including parties like the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the YSR Congress Party in the opposition bloc, she said, “Somebody has agency problem, somebody has regional problem, so I cannot go for any comment. If INDIA alliance is strong everybody will join.”

On Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), she said they were unlikely to join.

While stating that agencies are being used against the opposition, she said, “We will not yield to pressure from the agencies. We will fight.”

Commenting on the BJP, she said, “We do not have problems with any individual, we have problem with their ideology.”

Banerjee mentioned BJP stalwarts such as Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj Singh and Vasundhara Raje. “I will not say they are bad people.”

Asked about BJP’s rising influence, especially in the Hindi belt, she said, “The BJP is not strong, we are weak. We need to work together to overcome it”.

She also said she doesn’t discriminate between the Hindi belt and other regions. She also made light of the BJP’s assertion that PM Modi will return for a third term, saying, “I don’t accept that 2024 is a done deal for BJP.” Banerjee, however, admitted that the BJP is a major challenge to the INDIA bloc, and said they have “money power” which opposition doesn’t have.

“They have lots of money, nobody can question. But some political parties, whatever small money (they have), they’re (the government) sending agencies to snatch it. Muscle power, money power, and agency power, and opposition has no power. Only their voice, that has also been totally smashed.”

On the prime ministerial face of the alliance, Banerjee said any decision will be taken after the election.

“When so many political parties are together, it is a democracy, different states, different views different opinions, but ultimately INDIA is a platform where we are fighting together,” said Banerjee.

“The BJP doesn’t have any ally. The NDA is gone. We are not like that. It will be better, after elections, we have to see the results, and then to announce the PM candidate. All parties will decide that.”

“You can decide how party can do better for the people and motherland. You have to give first priority to the people of India. What is going on right now is autocracy, that is not desired by anyone,” she said.

Asked about her opinion on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), she said there should be 100 percent paper trail recording. “Infrastructure is already there, why are we not implementing that?

She refused to comment on the allegations made by some opposition leaders against the Adani group. Asked about the Tajpur port project of West Bengal, for which the Adani group had been roped in, she said it is under review.

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