TMC no longer limited to Bengal, says Abhishek Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday termed the BJP as a "jumla (rhetoric) party" and asserted that she would defeat the saffron camp across the country in the days to come. Addressing a public meeting, Banerjee, who is the Trinamool Congress candidate for the September 30 Bhabanipur by-poll, criticised the Centre for not allowing her to attend a global peace meet in Rome and claimed that such attempts by the BJP will not succeed in stopping her.
Echoing her, the TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the party will no longer be limited to Bengal and is politically ready to take on the BJP at the pan-India level.
"The BJP is the biggest jumla party in the country. It has only lies and hatred to offer. If you speak against them, they will unleash central agencies against you. They (BJP) are the party of a dancing dragon, who will remove your name from the list of citizenship in the name of CAA, NRC and NPR," she said.
The TMC supremo also accused the saffron camp of bringing in outsiders to create disturbances during the by-poll.
"The BJP thinks it can do whatever it wants just because it is in power. It doesn't follow human rights and democratic rights in the states where it is in power -- Uttar Pradesh, Assam, or Tripura. So many people died due to Covid in Uttar Pradesh. They did not allow cremation of those bodies and threw them in the Ganga. Human rights are violated in these states regularly, but Human Rights Commission won't visit these states," she said.
"In the days to come, we would take on the BJP at the national level and defeat them," Banerjee said.
Abhishek Banerjee also said the party would never compromise in its fight against the saffron camp.
"You are not merely voting for Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. In future, we would fight to oust the BJP at the Centre," the TMC national general secretary said.
Speaking on the Trinamool Congress' plan to foray into BJP-ruled states, he said, "We have started working in Tripura recently. We are expanding our presence in Assam and other states. In the coming days, the TMC is going to Goa too. Be ready (BJP). We are ready to take our political battles outside Bengal."
Hitting out at the Congress months after the bonhomie between the two parties at the national level, Banerjee alleged that "the Congress, the CPI (M) too have an understanding with the BJP."
The TMC boss also claimed that the Congress, the BJP and the CPI (M) had joined hands to defeat her in the Bhabanipur by-election.
"The Congress compromised with the CPI(M) during the Left Front regime. I had left the party because of this and formed the TMC. Now, they have compromised with the BJP in Bengal," she said.
The feisty TMC boss slammed the Centre again for not allowing her to participate in the global peace meet in Rome, where she was the "only invitee" from the country.
"They (BJP) lost, yet they have no shame. They are indulging in hooliganism here and in Tripura. They are now jealous of us. As I was the only invitee to the global peace meet, they did not allow me to go. But I will say whatever I have to say. I will send my message," she said.
"Many states do not take permission for these things, but I do as I maintain discipline and courtesy. I try my best to keep good relations with External Affairs ministry and have always supported our nation on external issues. I was not allowed to participate in programmes in Chicago, China, Cambridge and St. Stephens. How many times will you prevent me to participate in these programmes," Banerjee asked.
Besides Banerjee, the BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal and the CPI (M) 's Srijib Biswas are contesting from Bhabanipur in south Kolkata. Congress has decided not to field a candidate there.
The votes will be counted on October 3.
(With inputs from PTI)
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