West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Adhir Chowdhury on Monday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP had the same DNA. (File) West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Adhir Chowdhury on Monday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP had the same DNA. The Congress MP also claimed that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was able to expand its organisation during the TMC government’s rule, and added that Banerjee’s party destroyed the Opposition to pave the way for the BJP in Bengal.
Speaking to reporters at the Congress state headquarters here, Chowdhury said, “In West Bengal, the TMC gained strength after weakening the Opposition parties. It destroyed the Opposition parties to pave way for the BJP in Bengal. Didi [Mamata Banerjee] made the biggest contribution in helping the BJP gain foothold here. Before Didi became the chief minister of the state, there were about 200 to 250 shakhas [branches] of RSS. After she came to power, there are more than 5,000 shakhas of RSS in the state.”
Chowdhury’s comments came days after Banerjee, during her visit to Goa, accused the Congress of having an understanding with the BJP. Banerjee said that if the Congress were serious about defeating the saffron party then it would not have fielded candidates against the TMC in the state Assembly polls earlier this year.
State minister and senior TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya too targeted the Congress for allowing the BJP to grow in Murshidabad district, which is considered to be a Congress stronghold.
“Murshidabad is known to be a Congress bastion. Then how is the BJP winning seats from here? That means there is an understanding between the Congress and the BJP to fight against the TMC,” Bhattacharya said on Sunday.
Reacting to Chowdhury’s allegations, TMC spokesperson and party MP Saugata Roy wondered whether the Congress leader was considering joining the saffron party.
“What he said is completely untrue. I don’t anyone who is more opposed to the RSS than Mamata Banerjee. It is not the duty of a state government to stop the RSS from opening its shakhas in the state. As the BJP is in power at the Centre, the RSS is expanding its organisation across the country. I want to ask Adhir Chowdhury whether he is joining the BJP,” said Roy.
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