Shillong: Hitting back at former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s statement that TMC’s agenda is strengthen the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Trinamool Congress MP, Mahua Moitra on Thursday said the TMC does not need to prove anybody about its anti-BJP credentials.
“TMC fought for 34 years against the Left in West Bengal and came to power. We are in our third term and we don’t need to prove our anti-BJP credentials anywhere. If there is a force that is standing against the BJP, it is the TMC,” Moitra said.
“The days of national parties are over in India. If we had to rely on a bi-party system, there would be no hope left for democracy,” she said, adding that West Bengal has proven that in a one-to-one fight with the BJP, TMC is the only party that can defeat the BJP.
“We are out to defeat the BJP and all its allies,” Moitra added.
To a question asked by another journalist about reports that TMC legislators would merge with the BJP as is being stated by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Moitra said: “it’s a ridiculous question…but if you want to ask ridiculous questions we will face it.”
Lashing out at the BJP and Congress over their remarks on corruption and development, the TMC parliamentarian said, “For Amit Shah to say Meghalaya is the most corrupt state is ironic. His party has been part of the government for the last five years; it’s like him looking in the mirror and saying corruption is at its peak in Meghalaya. People are hungry for change and let me tell you, TMC is here – it is the only alternative” Moitra said.
Defending poll violence in West Bengal, Moitra said, West Bengal is the “safest place in the country.”
When asked about poll-related violence in West Bengal being the highest in the country, Moitra said it’s a legacy inherited since the time of partition.
Manas Bhunia went a step further and said violence in WB polls has been initiated by the BJP-CPM and Congress.
“The ruling party never thinks of violence. The TMC is being strangulated economically and blamed politically,” he added.
Condemning Gandhi’s statement that TMC is the B-team of BJP , Bhunia said “We are fighting in BJP-led Tripura and Goa. We are now fighting in Meghalaya where you have a BJP-supported government. Then how are we supporting the BJP?”
“It has been proven by the activities and legacy of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee that all the issues she is fighting for are supported by the people and the fact that TMC is running its third term in Bengal is a testimony to that,” he said.
