TMC appeals to Left-Cong to fight 'bigger evil' BJP, gets rejected

Trinamool Congress on Saturday appealed to Left Front-Congress alliance t to invite "bigger evil" BJP to settle scores with it in poll-bound state.

Left and Congress, however, rejected appeal outright and termed TMC as "B team" of saffron camp in Bengal.

This is second time in last one month that TMC has appealed to Left and Congress to put up an united fight against BJP in coming assembly polls in state.

BJP has expressed elation over proposal and said it proves that saffron party is only alternative to TMC in state.

Election to 294-member state assembly is due in April-May.

"If Left Front and Congress are genuinely anti-BJP y should be behind Mamata Banerjee in her fight against communal and divisive politics of saffron party," West Bengal Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Tapas Roy said here.

"While opposing Mamata Banerjee and TMC y should t commit mistake of inviting bigger evil BJP in Bengal. y should look at situation in Tripura and decide what to do," he said.

This is t first time that TMC has spoken in favour of a united platform of party along with Left and Congress to fight BJP. Several or TMC leaders had done so earlier.

Reacting to TMC's proposal, state senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan blamed party for growth of BJP in Bengal.

"We are t interested in aligning with TMC. Why is TMC w interested in an alliance with us after poaching our MLAs for last 10 years ? It is due to Mamata Banerjee that BJP has gained strength in Bengal," he said.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said both BJP and TMC are trying to woo Left votes after branding Left and Congress as a negligible political force in state.

"Both TMC and BJP are w eir praising Left or are seeking our support. It only reflects that we are still a force to reckon with," he said.

Left and Congress will defeat both TMC and BJP in next elections, Chakraborty asserted.

BJP in its turn said TMC's appeal proves that ruling party in West Bengal cant put up a fight against saffron party on its own.

"It also proves desperation of TMC. y can't fight against us on ir own so y are seeking help from or parties. It also proves that BJP is only alternative to TMC," BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said.

Left and Congress had aligned to fight against BJP and TMC in Bengal after being pushed to corner in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

CPI(M)-led Left Front had drawn a blank and Congress had mand to bag just two out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in state.

BJP had on or hand bagged 18 seats - four less than TMC to emerge as prime challenger to ruling party in state.

In 2016 assembly polls, Left and Congress had come toger and bagged 76 seats. TMC had bagged 211 seats.