KOLKATA: Close on the heels of the Congress’ victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee offered her support to the grand old party in its domain of strength against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls next year.
The Trinamul Congress chief, however, urged the Congress to give support to other regional parties in return. This is the first time she has talked about the Congress for Opposition unity after her talks with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav.
Ms Banerjee said on Monday: “Wherever the Congress is strong in their respective 200 seats or something, what we have calculated, let them fight. We will give our support to them. Nothing is wrong in it.”
She added: “But the Congress has to see other parties too. It should not be the policy that while I am giving you support in Karnataka, you are fighting against me here every day. It is the same for everybody. If you want to get something good, you have to sacrifice yourself also in some areas.”
On the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Ms Banerjee noted: “I am neither a magician nor an astrologer. I can't say what will happen in the future. But it is a fact that the BJP cannot fight wherever regional parties are strong and where people are very demoralised and frustrated and incumbency is there.”
The TMC chief added: “If you see the verdict of Karnataka, it is against the BJP government. People are antagonised because of terrible atrocities. The economy has been ruined already. Democratic rights have been bulldozed. Even the wrestlers are also not spared.”
She said: “In such a situation, whoever is strong in their own place and region, they should fight together. Suppose Bengal, we should fight here like the AAP in Delhi. Same will happen in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu. In Bihar, Nitish ji, Tejaswi will decide it with others. I can’t talk about their formula. Strong parties must be given the priority.”
