Cong, BJP, CPM are on same branch of tree, says Mamata

‘The CPI(M), BJP and Congress are on the same branch of a tree, they are out to help each other just for the sake of elections,’ she claimed.

Training her guns on the CPI(M), she said ‘They have given up their Leftist ideals. A political party has to be based on ideals, but for them ideals have died.’ 

Claiming that the CPI(M) was not visible for the last three years since its Assembly poll defeat except during the panchayat elections, she said, ‘They surface only during elections.’ 

She claimed that had not the CPI(M)-led Left Front left behind a huge debt burden of Rs two lakh crore, the state would have been ahead of other states in development and job creation.

‘If we had money, we could have created 20 lakh jobs for our youth,’ she claimed.

Alleging that people did not enjoy rights and there were atrocities during Left Front rule, she said, 

‘We have spent Rs 5,500 crore in 100-days job creation under MNREGA taking Bengal to the top among all states in terms of expenditure, while the LF government could spend only Rs 500 crore.’ 

Stating that her party had protested against price rise of essentials, petro products and entry of FDI in retail, she said, ‘We will do the same in future also, we will not sell ourselves to anyone. We don’t bow our heads to anybody.’ 

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Friday sparred over the Saradha chit fund scam with the chief minister seeking to question the source of CPI(M) funds and her predecessor demanding a CBI probe into the scam that defrauded lakhs.

Hitting out at Bhattacharjee for the Saradha Group setting up business during his regime, the chief minister said, ‘It was during your tenure in 2006. Shall I tell the names? As if you know nothing? 

‘The mother of thieves speaks in the loudest voice and empty vessels sound much. Where did thousands of crores of rupees come into CPI(M)’s coffers?’ she asked.

‘With whose bank account did the finance minister of the Left Front government run his election campaign?’ the Trinamool Congress chief asked at an election meeting in Hooghly district.

‘See who has committed the theft and who is being blamed for it? ...You will only see stars if try to find fault with the Trinamool Congress,’ Banerjee said.

Without referring to the opposition demand for a probe by the CBI, she said it was her government which took action by arresting the accused of the scam, formed a judicial commission and returned money to the defrauded investors.

Denying the chief minister’s allegations, Bhattacharjee told a meet the press in Kolkata, ‘Everything will become clear if she agrees to a CBI enquiry today... who took the money? We have nothing to hide. Those who have something to hide are giving these excuses,’ he said.