West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC head Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that if the INDIA bloc forms the government at the center, her party will extend support from the outside. Previously, Mamata had stated there's no INDIA bloc in West Bengal. 'I played a significant role in the formation of the opposition alliance named the INDIA bloc, which was also titled by me. However, here in West Bengal, the CPI (M) and Congress are effectively working for the BJP,' said Mamata following her recent statement that triggered a spectrum of responses from political leaders including Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena Uddhav faction and NDA's Chirag Paswan.
Reacting to Mamata's pledge to support the INDIA bloc, Uddhav faction leader Sanjay Raut remarked, 'That's fine. Mamata Ji is our elder sister. She is also fighting with us against Narendra Modi and Amit Shah's authoritarianism. Whether from the inside or the outside, she is with us. She is our sister and will continue to stand by our side.'
Chirag Paswan Comments - What's the Point if We're Just Cutting Each Other's Throats...
Chirag Paswan, head of Lok Janashakti Party (Ram Vilas), questioned the credibility of alliances, stating their policies and intentions aren't clear. 'Mamata Banerjee is seeking to support those she defeated in Bengal elections, which shows there is no ideology, only ambition to seize power,' Paswan observed.
Mamata Banerjee further elaborated on her support for the INDIA bloc post-election, mentioning that her stance against the CPI (M) and Congress in West Bengal was firm as 'they are not with us, they are with the BJP. Speaking of Delhi, we will lead the INDIA bloc and support them from the outside in every possible way. We aim to form such a government in Bengal that ensures no troubles for our mothers and sisters and that those who work under the hundred-day employment scheme face no payment issues.'
Mamata characterized the BJP as a 'party full of thieves' and predicted their failure to reach the ambitious electoral target of '400 seats'. She said, 'The BJP is claiming it will win 400 seats, but the people say otherwise. The whole country understands that the BJP is a party full of thieves. The TMC will support the formation of a national government for the INDIA bloc from the outside. We will ensure mothers and sisters in Bengal face no problems and participants in the hundred-day job scheme will not encounter any issues.'
Mamata also recalled the 2004 elections, where despite BJP's 'India Shining' campaign, Atal Bihari Vajpayee lost. She commented, 'They (BJP) are desperate to win, but the country's voice is united against their loss. No one could foresee Atal Bihari Vajpayee's defeat in 2004. They presented 'India Shining', but the winds of change swept, and people changed.'
