TMC to release list of LS candidates today: CM
Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress will publish the list of candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, party supremo Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.
Talking to newsmen on Monday evening, Banerjee said that she would meet the election committee members and the district presidents of the party at 1 pm and then the list would be announced. She reiterated that the TMC would get 42 out of 42 seats in Bengal.
Banerjee has set up a 12-member election committee to conduct the elections. The committee members are Partha Chatterjee, Abhishek Banerjee, Firhad Hakim, Subrata Bakshi, Aroop Biswas, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Shashi Panja, Malay Ghatak, Suvendu Adhikari, Jyotipriya Mallick, Subrata Mukherjee and Derek O' Brien.
Replying to a question, Banerjee said the seven-phase polls have been announced only in Bihar, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, which are expected to play a key role in deciding who will form the next government at Centre.
The TMC supremo said the seven-phase election in Bengal was the brainchild of the BJP.
Banerjee maintained that the BJP's game plan to hold elections in Bengal in seven phases would boomerang. "I welcome the seven-phase poll. We will get more time for our campaigns. I will go to Assam, Jharkhand, North Eastern states and also in some other states."
"I know the people of my state. I have great respect for the people of Bengal. But the BJP has disrespected them. They (the BJP) have conspired against me and Bengal."
She further stated: "I have been informed by some senior journalists that there will be another strike. What strike I will not say. In the name of so called... so called... so called... in the month of April. That is why it (voting process) will continue till May 19.
"Please don't misquote me. I have great respect for a constitutional body like the Election Commission. But it is a part of the BJP's game plan to disturb Bengal."
Banerjee said on January 19 a public meeting of the "United India" was held at the Brigade Parade ground and May 19 would be the last day of the seven-phase elections. "I can draw a parallel between the two dates. May 19 will be BJP's final send-off."
She said as the elections would be held during summer, there might be nor'westers and people, despite that, would have to stand in queues in order to cast their votes. The state government employees might fall sick due to the heat. "We will have to take care of everyone," she said and added: "People will suffer but the leaders from Delhi will come in AC cars, deliver their election speeches and leave the area".
