Mamata: Won’t support Congress, CPM in Bengal... they’re BJP agents

AS THE first phase of the Lok Sabha elections kicked off on Friday,westbengalchiefminister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee hit out at INDIA bloc allies Congress and CPI(M) and said she would not support them in the state as they were acting as “BJP agents” there. Speaking at an electionrallyinmurshidabaddistrict, Banerjee called all pre-poll surveys “fake” and said that the Bjpwould“notgetmorethan200 seats” in the Lok Sabha elections.

“Some say, we are INDIA, vote for us. INDIA is not here, it belongs to Delhi. Congress and CPI(M) are not INDIA here. They are BJP. One vote for them means two votes for BJP. Don’t even cast a vote [for them],” Banerjee said. “We will lead the Opposition alliance INDIA in the coming days. But in Bengal, CPI(M) and Congress are agents of BJP. So, I will not support them here,” she added. TMC has chosen to contest the Lok Sabha elections alone in West Bengal.

Banerjee said the 2024 Lok Sabha polls are nothing less than a “second battle for the country's independence,” as BJP'S return to power for the third consecutive term would endanger the existence of the Constitution and democracy.

Reiterating her government's stand on the Citizenship

Amendment Act (CAA), Banerjee said,“iwouldliketorequestallmigrant workers who have come heretocelebrateeidtonotgoback without voting because if you don'tvoteinthecomingdaysthey will take away your Aadhaar card and your citizenship. I will not let CAA be implemented here.”

Slamming the BJP, she said, “The BJP will not get even 200 seats in the country. All surveys are fake. Lakhs of rupees have been poured into the survey. Do not listen to IT…BJP will not win.”

Targeting the ECI over the deployment of Central forces in Bengal, she said, “How come you are voting with only the central forces…leaving out state police? So that people cannot vote?”