West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has announced that if India Block forms the central government after the Lok Sabha elections, her party will extend support from the outside. It is noteworthy that just a few weeks ago, Banerjee had declared there was no alliance with India Block in West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee had expressed her dissent over seat-sharing with the Congress under the India Block banner, stating, 'I played a pivotal role in the formation of the opposition coalition India Block. I even named the alliance. But in West Bengal, the CPI (M) and Congress are working for the BJP.'
Reiterating her previous statement on Wednesday, she said, "Do not trust CPI (M) and Congress in Bengal. They are not with us; they are with the BJP here." Banerjee, launching an assault on the BJP, labeled it a 'party full of thieves' and predicted their failure to reach their ambitious electoral target of winning '400 seats'.
BJP dubbed a party of thieves
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed, "The BJP is boasting of winning 400 seats, but the people are saying that it will not happen. The whole country has understood the BJP is a party filled with thieves. We (TMC) will support the India Block at the national level to form the government and assist them in every way possible. We'll create a government that ensures mothers and sisters in Bengal never face any issues and guarantee that those participating in the 100 Days' Job Scheme encounter no obstacles."
She clarified, 'I'm referring to the Delhi-based India Block. This doesn't include CPI(M) or Congress from Bengal.' Mamata Banerjee stated her party will aid India Block in establishing a government at the center. She also pledged to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and halt the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Uniform Civil Code (UCC) once the BJP is ousted from power.
Bengal sees voting in every phase
It's important to note that Banerjee's statement comes at a time when four phases of voting have already concluded in the country, with only three phases remaining. Voting is taking place in each phase in Bengal. The fifth phase (20 May) will see voting in Bangaon, Barrackpore, Howrah, Uluberia, Serampore, Hooghly, and Arambagh, while the sixth phase (25 May) includes Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, and Bishnupur. The final, seventh phase (1 June) will involve Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbor, Jadavpur, Kolkata South, and Kolkata North. A triangular contest has emerged in West Bengal among Trinamool Congress, BJP, and the Congress-Left alliance due to lack of consensus amongst India Block partners.
