'Ploy to break TMC & blackmailing won't work'

Midnapore: Accusing the saffron brigade of attempting to break her party by using money power and blackmailing its leaders ahead of the 2021 elections, Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee hit out at the BJP stating that the party acts as a "bank giving protection to those who have made a huge amount of black money".

In the same breath, she said that all attempts to break the party will go in vain as the people are with Trinamool Congress to ensure its landslide victory in 2021 Assembly polls.

Banerjee's allegation against the BJP of leaving no stone unturned to break her party holds significance as she raised the allegation from the rally in West Midnapore where the party's MLA from Nandigram Suvendu Adhikari, who recently resigned from the post of minister of three departments including Transport, and other leaders from his family did not turn up.

"Do not ever consider Trinamool Congress to be weak. If anyone thinks of blackmailing our leaders and bargain with them, they will be utterly disappointed. I would like to urge BJP and their friends, those who are dreaming of breaking the Trinamool Congress, not to play with fire," Banerjee said after coming down on the BJP by accusing them of using its moneybags to dislodge governments in other states. "Do not ever try to do the same with Trinamool Congress as it is the party of the common people and they will give a befitting reply to you (BJP)," she said while addressing her first political rally in West Midnapore.

Continuing her attack on the BJP, she maintained that the party in power at the Centre had made a huge amount of money in the past six years. "They may buy any other political party, but not Trinamool Congress as it is a hard nut to crack," she said at the rally in which maximum number of MLAs, including those who are known to be close to the former Transport minister, from both East and West Midnapore, turned up.

Coining the slogan with which her party workers will fight the forthcoming elections, Banerjee said: "This time the slogan will be "Janogan Achche Songey, TMC ekushe aschhe Bonge" and we will not leave any space for BJP in Bengal in 2021 Assembly elections".

All eyes were at the Collegiate Ground of Midnapore Town in West Midnapore on Monday with speculations on what stand that Adhikaris would take in terms of turning up at the rally.

TMC MP and senior party leader Sisir Adhikari, Suvendu's father, is stated to have failed to turn up owing to his ill health, while his brother Tamluk MP Dibyendu Adhikari is yet to come up with any statement for his failure to be present during the rally despite adjacent East Midnapore being his hometown.

Giving a new twist, MLA Sangram Dolui and Ranjit Mondal of Khejuri, claimed to be close aides of Suvendu, attended the meeting along with six other MLAs from East Midnapore where the Trinamool Congress had won 13 seats in the 2016 Assembly polls. Potashpur MLA Jyotirmoy Kar failed to turn up as he is suffering from Covid. All TMC MLAs turned up from West Midnapore apart from Paresh Murmu of Keshiary Assembly constituency due to ill health.

Banerjee has asked all leaders to keep an eye at the block level in case attempts are made to blackmail or bargain.