KolkataWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is unlikely to campaign for the Trinamool Congress for the February 14 assembly elections in Goa. Banerjee, who on Monday left on a two-day tour of the state to campaign for the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, ruled out the possibility of going to Goa, saying “somebody else is watching it”.
The Trinamool Congress chief told reporters before leaving for Lucknow on Monday that she would campaign in the most densely populated northern state for the sake of opposition unity. Trinamool Congress is not contesting elections in Uttar Pradesh but will campaign for SP national president Akhilesh Yadav.
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When asked if she would campaign in Punjab too, she replied in the negative. “We are not contesting elections in Punjab. We will contest 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. I am excited about Punjab because I like the people of that state. I know the districts of Punjab because I had visited there when militancy was at its peak.
To a question as to why she is only visiting Uttar Pradesh when there are assembly elections in five states, Banerjee said, “Someone else is watching the campaign in Goa. I am going to some other place (Uttar Pradesh) for the sake of greater opposition unity.” Trinamool Congress sources said that party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is likely to campaign in Goa.
In an apparent reference to the Congress refusing to forge an alliance with the Trinamool Congress in Goa, Banerjee said it would have been better had the country’s oldest party forging an alliance with the SP in Uttar Pradesh. “It would have been better if they (Congress and SP) had fought elections together in Uttar Pradesh. If you don’t get some (seats) then there is no point in fighting just to reap some votes of others. We had tried for an alliance in Goa but they (Congress) did not listen to us. Akhilesh Yadav is giving a tough fight in Uttar Pradesh. We are supporting them.” (agency)