Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, calling her an “opportunist” and said that the party would contest the Lok Sabha elections without her assistance.
“We won’t fight the election with Mamata’s help. Congress knows how to fight on its own strength, and Mamata Banerjee should remember that it was with Congress’s support she came to power in Bengal,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday, Chowdhury had criticised the INDIA bloc partner TMC, asserting that he had defeated the party in the past. His remarks followed reports that Trinamool is likely to field candidates in all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.
The Trinamool had reportedly offered two seats to Congress in West Bengal, but the grand old party was looking for a bigger share of seats to contest as part of a pact with the party.
On January 20, at a meeting of the Trinamool’s top brass with the Murshidabad district leadership, it was decided that the party would contest on all the seats, including Berhampur, where Chowdhury is the sitting MP.
‘Such comments won’t matter’
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Mamata Banerjee was “very close” to him and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s sharp remarks against the Trinamool Congress supremo on seat-sharing talks “won’t matter”.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said talks with Trinamool Congress on seat-sharing in Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls were on.
“Mamata Banerjee is very close to me. Sometimes our leaders say something. Such comments won’t matter,” Gandhi said when asked about Chowdhury’s recent remarks that Congress would contest the Lok Sabha elections without her assistance.
‘Some areas should be left to regional parties’
Meanwhile, amid an internal discord over seat-sharing within the INDIA bloc, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday batted for the idea of regional leaders spearheading the fight against the BJP in specific regions, suggesting that Congress independently contest 300 Lok Sabha seats.
“I insist that particular regions should be left to regional parties. They (Congress) can fight on 300 (Lok Sabha) seats alone, and I will help them. I will not contest those seats. But, they are adamant about doing what they want,” she said at an ‘all-faith harmony rally’ in Kolkata, which coincided with the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, PTI reported.
“I have the power to take on the BJP and fight against it. But, some people don’t want to listen to us about seat-sharing. If you don’t want to fight the BJP, then at least don’t give away seats to it,” she said.
Without making a mention of the Congress, Banerjee also criticised the party for delaying seat-sharing discussions in the state.
“I suggested the name INDIA during a meeting of the opposition bloc. But whenever I attend the coalition’s meetings, I find the Left trying to gain control. This is not acceptable. I cannot agree with those with whom I had fought for 34 years,” she said, PTI reported.
(With inputs from agencies)
