For larger interest of people, TMC still with INDIA bloc, says Abhishek

Kolkata: Asserting that Trinamool Congress (TMC) would win more seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee during an interview with an online digital news portal on Saturday said that TMC will continue to be part of INDIA bloc for the larger interest of the people despite Congress’ failure in sealing the seat-sharing arrangement in Bengal.

Banerjee also stated that he has no ambition of becoming a minister if INDIA block wins in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Reiterating that there are no factions within Trinamool Congress, Banerjee said he is a foot soldier under the leadership of party supremo Mamata Banerjee. “Differences in our approach do not imply personal or political disagreements with Mamata Banerjee,” Abhishek was quoted in a statement issued by his party as well. Banerjee during the interview Banerjee said that he believes that the projects like Lakshmir Bhandar scheme of Bengal and, the Delhi government’s Mohalla Clinic must be adopted at the national level if INDIA bloc comes to power.

He was critical of the Congress because of its double-face strategy at the national and state level.

“Trinamool Congress fights with one party that is BJP. But Congress is fighting BJP at the Centre and Trinamool Congress in Bengal. On the day of Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with the stakeholders of the INDIA bloc, Pradesh Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury welcomed Mamata Banerjee to contest him. Chowdhury never said that PM Modi should fight against him,” Banerjee said.

He attributed the differences in the INDIA bloc in Bengal to the Congress party’s failure to finalise seat-sharing arrangements. He highlighted that despite repeated reminders over the last seven months, the grand old party remained inactive in sealing the seat-sharing agreement.

“We wanted it to be a 1:1 fight. Whoever is in power in the respective states can fight the BJP for the greater interest. No Trinamool Congress mouthpiece uttered a single word against Congress till December 31 last year. Trinamool Congress will continue to be an integral part of the INDIA bloc for the larger interest of the people. I have, however, no ambition to become a Union minister if the INDIA bloc comes to power,” Banerjee asserted.

The TMC national general secretary also said that he will predict how many Lok Sabha seats Trinamool Congress is going to get only after the election notification is done, he however, said that his party would increase its vote share in the LS polls.

Rubbishing that there is no old vs new conflict within Trinamool Congress, Banerjee said: “I always say that productivity diminishes after one attains a certain age irrespective of profession one belongs to. An elderly person at the age of 66 can never match a youth of 36. As I had said this, people tried to interpret that I am going to replace Mamata Banerjee. It is not the case. It also depends upon individual capacity. Nobody can match the hard work Mamata Banerjee puts into her job at her age. It depends upon the individual.” Banerjee also stated that he will retire from politics before he turned 60.

Speaking on Leaps and Bounds and summons, Banerjee hit out at the Centre and the Central agency saying: “They tapped my phone through the use of software Pegasus and summoned me. They found nothing.

Then they summoned my wife and then my personal assistant, lawyer and even my parents. I wonder if they can call my children after attaining a certain age. If they cut my ear, even then I will not surrender to the BJP. I have given each and every document to the agencies.”

During the interview, he said that he does not, however, want his children to come into politics. “I don’t want my children to undergo the struggle that I have undergone. If they are interested after attaining a certain age they are welcome to join,” he said. On PM Modi following him on social media, Banerjee said: “He is the PM of India. He follows me and hence I follow him.”

Speaking on the arrest of Jyotipriya Mallick by ED and TMC not suspending him from the party as well as his portfolio as a minister, Banerjee said: “We had a discussion in the party and steps may be taken in the future. It is also true that ED is not God. The step (arrest) was taken on the basis of an FIR filed by the Bengal Police. If his guilty the government as well as the party will take action accordingly.”

Regarding Partha Chatterjee’s arrest, Banerjee said: “In the past one and half years no significant developments had taken place on the part of the investigation.”