The Congress and Trinamul Congress traded charges against each other on Tuesday over NDA convenor Sharad Yadav’s presence at West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s protest rally against FDI at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Asking the Trinamul Congress chief to clarify her stand, Congress MLA Manas Bhunia demanded her response if she was going forge an alliance with the BJP again. “NDA convenor Sharad Yadav joined the Trinamul chief’s rally after taking permission of the BJP. Does it mean she is mending her ways politically? Is Ms Banerjee leaning towards the BJP?” he asked. Mr Bhunia warned the people of Bengal to be alert of her next move. “In case, she joins communal forces like the BJP, would it not amount to ditching the minority community?” Mr Bhunia questioned.
Echoing him, state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said: “It was a stepping stone of her joining the NDA.”
He further referred Ms Banerjee’s threat to move a no-confidence motion in Parliament as “her ploy to take a revenge against the Centre”.
He said, “Her revenge cannot topple the government even if she puts effort to move the no-confidence motion because the present political situation does not allow it.”
According to Mr Bhattacharya, Ms Banerjee’s desperate bid would not “materialise in reality”. He also went on to accuse the ruling party in the state of its effort to wean away some party leaders from the Congress. “Such politics by the Trinamul Congress is of bad taste.” The state Congress is going to announce its next course of movement against the Trinamul on Wednesday.
To counter the Congress’ charges, Trinamul Congress MLA and state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee said: “We are not leaning towards the NDA. It was our protest (at Jantar Mantar) against the anti-people decisions of the Centre. It is the habit of the Congress to work as the B team of the CPI(M). But we do not have similar habit. We will work in the interest of the common people. Those who will support our movement are welcome to join it.”