Published 16:53 IST, February 14th 2021
'Can't win against BJP alone': Ghosh jibes at TMC MLA's proposal on tie-up with Cong-Left
TMC MLA Tapas Roy had earlier announced that Onda TMC MLA Arup Khan will join a procession by the Congress and Left party in the state.
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West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Sunday took a jibe at the Trinamool Congress, saying that the party had realized that if it wanted to win against the BJP in the state, they could not do it alone.
"TMC has understood that it can't win against BJP if it fights alone. They all (Congress, Left & TMC) should fight together. We're ready to fight in Bengal and bring a 'parivartan' (change). The people of Bengal understood that they no more need Mamata but BJP," said Dilip Ghosh.
The BJP leader's remarks came in response to a statement by TMC MLA Tapas Roy where the leader announced that Onda TMC MLA Arup Khan will join a procession by the Congress and Left party leaders' in the state. "They (BJP) are saying that they'll rule Bengal. I want to tell Congressmen and Left party leaders that Arup Khan (Onda TMC MLA) will join your procession. Congress and Left can't do it alone, so they've come together," said Tapas Roy during a rally in Bankura on February 12.
TMC to join Left & Congress?
In the 2016 state elections, the Congress and the Left had joined hands bagging 76 seats in Bengal as opposed to the 211 seats that were won by the TMC. Ahead of the 2021 polls, while the Congress and the Left have announced that they will arrive at a seat-sharing equation soon, there is still uncertainty around the possibility of TMC joining them to form a grander Left front. This comes amid contradicting statements by Trinamool's top brass regarding the possibilities of an alliance.
Last month, TMC MP Saugata Roy sent an open invitation to the Left front 'to line up behind Mamata' in her fight against BJP's 'communal and divisive politics'. This was followed by Tapas Roy's invitation to the Left and Congress during an address where he said, "If the Left Front and the Congress are genuinely anti-BJP they should be behind Mamata Banerjee in her fight against the communal and divisive politics of the saffron party."
However, in the latest, addressing a rally in Kolkata Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee roared that she will 'fight alone' against BJP and the Left. Asking BJP to form an alliance with Congress and the CPI(M) in the state, she said that she could 'fight' all of them together like a goalkeeper. "You (BJP) can fight with Left and Congress in your team, we will fight alone. I will only be a goalkeeper and see how many goals you can kick," she stated.
The West Bengal Assembly with 294 seats will go to the polls in April-May 2021.
(With Agency Inputs)
16:53 IST, February 14th 2021