Cong misleading people on pre-poll alliance between TMC & Cong: Abhishek

Goa: TMC MP and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee accused the Congress on Thursday of misleading the people that there was no concrete offer from the TMC to form an alliance to take on the ruling BJP in Goa.

Speaking to reporters in the poll-bound state, Abhishek accused the Congress of not inking an electoral alliance with TMC to protect its vested interests and also creating "a misleading narrative" that the TMC was trying to weaken it.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday afternoon, he said Trinamool had walked an extra mile to forge an alliance with like-minded parties for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Goa on February 14.

Refuting the charges made by veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram that TMC did not approach Congress, he said Pawan Varma, TMC's national vice-president, had himself visited Chidambaram's house on December 24 last year at 1.30 pm and requested him that an alliance should be made leaving aside ego to defeat the BJP. "Chidambaram, in a bid to protect the vested interests of his party, did not take up the issue and now, is saying that Trinamool did not approach Congress. He is a renowned lawyer and is now misleading the people. If he thinks we [TMC] are fudging facts, he can sue us and slap us with a defamation notice."

Varma, on the other hand, added: "I met Mr Chidambaram in Delhi on December 24, at 1.30 pm. During that meeting, I made a concrete proposal in order to strengthen the opposition space." He even asserted that his party leader Mamata Banerjee is interested in strong and unified opposition.

"I am dismayed, disappointed and also surprised at the manner in which Chidambaram, a senior Congress leader who has been Finance minister and Home minister, is attempting to mislead people through a statement on public TV that is far removed from the truth," he said.

The Trinamool national general secretary added that the Congress is spreading a canard against the former that it had come to Goa to split the opposition vote.

"I want to make this very clear that Trinamool has no intention to split the opposition vote but neither Congress nor AAP is prepared to fight the BJP. TMC is the only party that takes BJP head-on and wants to put an end to the corruption in Goa," he said, adding "the politics of give-and-take should come to an end in Goa."

He said Chidambaram should resign if Congress fails to do well in Goa. "Congress cannot do well on its own and if it is found so when the results of the Assembly poll is out on March 25, then he should resign," he remarked.

He said: "Congress had betrayed the people of the state in 2017 when it got 17 seats in the Assembly elections. But 80% of the MLAs migrated to BJP and helped it to form the government. The then leader of Congress was directed by the party high command not to meet the Governor and demand its claim to form the government." He further maintained that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has made a statement that he had met Pratap Singh Rane, a veteran Congress leader and urged him to support the saffron party.

Abhishek urged every Goan to vote for Trinamool Congress – Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party alliance and assured that the winning candidates will not leave the party to strengthen the hands of BJP. He said Trinamool Congress will fight in 31 seats and the MGP will fight in nine. He reiterated that the people of Goa will see a new dawn on February 14 and the new government will be formed under the guidance of Mamata Banerjee. "Didi had visited Goa twice after Trinamool started working here in September 2021 and the love and respect showed by the people to her clearly indicate that they will support her for all-round development of the state."