Bengal chief minister on Wednesday said the Trinamool Congress party will contest the Lok Sabha elections in all constituencies in the state, citing a major setback in the seat-sharing talks with the INDIA bloc ally Congress. The TMC supremo said her proposals on seat-sharing were “refused” during the meeting
The development comes days after Banerjee had alleged at a rally in Kolkata that although she proposed to let Congress contest 300 of 543 Lok Sabha seats and leave the rest for regional parties, her advice was ignored at the INDIA group’s meetings.
On Monday, Banerjee targeted the CPI(M) from her interfaith rally in Kolkata but did not name the Congress.
“It was I who coined the name INDIA. But I am sorry to say that whenever I attend the meetings, CPI(M) controls them. This is extremely sad. I feel insulted. I fought them (Left) for 34 years when they were in power in Bengal. I will not follow their advice,” she said.
The next day on Tuesday, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stressed on the fact that he and his party share “a very good relationship” with Banerjee, adding that critical remarks from either side will not affect seat sharing talks for the coming Lok Sabha polls.
TMC leaders have alleged several times in recent weeks that Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury continues to target the chief minister although she said at an INDIA group meet on December 19 that she will not field candidates from Berhampore and Malda South seats that the Congress controls.
Chowdhury, who has been winning from Berhampore since 1999, has said alongside CPI(M) leaders that the INDIA model will not work in Bengal because they are opposed to both the TMC and the BJP.