Kolkata: BJP’s West Bengal unit chief Sukant Majumdar on Saturday alleged that the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) had entered into a “secret” alliance in the recent municipal elections. In this election, BJP could not win a single in 108 municipalities. The state BJP president also alleged that the Trinamool Congress has imposed an “informal emergency” in the state where working for the BJP is “no less than a crime”.
Majumdar told a press conference after the state unit’s contemplation meeting in the auditorium of the National Library here that the CPI(M) and the Trinamool Congress had made a “secret agreement” for this local body election. To justify his point, he claimed that out of ten wards in a municipal corporation, “seven wards were won by the Trinamool Congress while the CPI(M) won three”.
The Trinamool Congress won 102 out of 108 municipalities, while the CPI(M) and Darjeeling’s New Hamro Party won one municipality each, while four were hung. TMC secured 63.45 per cent of the total votes cast, CPI(M) 14.13 and BJP 12.57 per cent. Analysts believe that the CPI(M) is improving its position with the help of its student and youth front, while the BJP’s ground is slipping away.
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Senior BJP leader Tathagata Rai tweeted, “After the defeat in the assembly elections, the BJP did not take reform measures and on the contrary it showed pride in reaching 3 to 77. The ostrich-like conduct made the party squabble in the corporation elections. Chintan meeting is of no use, as the damage has been done.”
Addressing hundreds of party workers from across the state at the Chintan meeting, Majumdar claimed that the recent municipal elections in the state were just a “hypocrisy” and only the BJP put up a strong fight. Majumdar alleged in his speech, “There is an informal emergency in Bengal. Just as someone is targeted for being part of the BJP, similarly a person is not targeted for being part of the CPI(M), Congress or any other party.”
He claimed that when “his party workers are assaulted or even murdered by Trinamool goons”, the police are on hand. Senior BJP leader and MP Locket Chatterjee gave a call for introspection on the party’s defeat in the municipal elections and its vote share falling from 38 per cent in last year’s assembly polls to 12.57 per cent in the municipal elections.
Majumdar claimed, “We will definitely come out of this situation as we have the trust and confidence of the people but that did not come out in the results of the corporation and panchayat elections as the Trinamool Congress along with the administration and the police had conducted free and fair elections.” Didn’t let it happen. This will change in the coming days.” He said the BJP would assess in detail how the elections were conducted recently and would look to more effectively counter the Trinamool democratically.
Importantly, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and senior BJP leader Shubhendu Adhikari Chintan did not attend the meeting. A senior leader said the officers were busy with their organizational work in Purba Medinipur district. The Congress on BJP’s allegations said that these are “baseless allegations” of a party which does not enjoy the confidence of the voters. (agency)