‘Support Mamata,’ Tejashwi tells Biharis in Bengal
KOLKATA: Looking to block BJP’s advances in Bengal and to consolidate the alliance of secular parties across India, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, on Monday met Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He urged people from Bihar domiciled in Bengal to vote against the saffron party and said: “Our alliance with the Left and Congress is only in Bihar. It is our duty to strengthen Mamata Didi’s hands here and fight the BJP.”
Stating that the BJP is nothing but a “Barka Jhuta Party” (biggest party of liars), Yadav said: “It is our priority and duty to support and strengthen Mamata Banerjee to stop the communal forces from coming to power. The saffron brigade will not be successful in achieving its goal in Bengal that is known in the country for its different culture. Today’s fight is against values and for our fundamental rights.”
In reply to a question that whether his party would contest from any seat in the state, Yadav asserted: “We consider her fight to be ours and vice versa.”
Reciprocating his sentiments, the TMC supremo said she was happy that he felt this way and also congratulated him.
“I am grateful that he said we are together in the fight and this message should reach BJP. I would like to say that their government in Bihar is not going to last for a long time as they had tricked him (Yadav) and formed the government forcefully though he was supposed to win. Today or tomorrow, Tejashwiji will surely form a government in Bihar.”
Wishing RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s speedy recovery, Banerjee said: “They are intentionally mentally torturing Lalu Prasad in jail and this is wrong.”
On the role of the Election Commission, she said to keep their own prestige intact the Election Commission of India should function impartially.
Banerjee and Yadav held a joint Press conference at Nabanna after their almost 45-minute long meeting at the state Secretariat.
“I was telling Tejashwiji that even elections in a district have been divided into two to three phases without maintaining any continuity. The election schedule has been prepared as per the advice of the party (BJP). I want the Election Commission to function impartially. I have all respect for the Commission. But I do not want the BJP to control it. It is a matter of prestige. I want that the Commission conducts a free and fair election,” Banerjee said.
Both Yadav and Banerjee took a swipe at the BJP for giving “false assurances” ahead of the polls. “They are yet to give central recognition to Patna University and what about the assurance of creating 20 lakh job opportunities?” Yadav asked.
“What did they do with Hindi-speaking ‘mazdoors' at the time of the nationwide lockdown? They were left to walk miles without any food and water. People of Bihar staying here (Bengal) should get united to give a befitting reply to BJP for such deprivation,” Yadav said appreciating Banerjee for moving around different places to help people at the time of Covid.
Banerjee, in a similar connection, said BJP is a party of liars and they do not even know how to respect a language. “Like Bihar, they give tall talks in pollbound states, but they never keep the same,” she said.