BJP fighting polls to help TMC in Bengal, alleges Congress

Kolkata: Accusing BJP and TMC of having a tacit understanding, former Union minister and senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday alleged that BJP is fighting the West Bengal elections in order to help TMC by splitting the anti-TMC votes.

"The BJP and TMC are having a tacit understanding and we can see that both inside and outside Parliament. Whether it is the investigation in Narada or Sarada (scam), everything has gone slow to help TMC. And TMC in return is helping BJP inside Parliament," Pilot said.

"BJP is fighting elections to help TMC in Bengal. They are campaigning just to split the anti-TMC votes, so that they (votes) don't get consolidated towards the (Congress-Left) alliance. BJP doesn't have any stake in Bengal, (but) still they are fighting elections just to help TMC," he said.

Pilot also refuted allegations levelled by BJP President Amit Shah that Congress and the Left were pursuing opportunistic politics.

"This is baseless. We have forged a seat sharing adjustment against the undemocratic TMC and in order to stop them, we are taking all necessary steps. But (while) BJP and Shiv Shena have a formal alliance, why is BJP tolerating the criticism of Shiv Sena everyday? Why aren't they throwing them (Shiv Sena) out of NDA?" he asked.

"(Actually) BJP doesn't have the guts to throw Sena out of alliance," Pilot said