Kolkata: West Bengal PCC president Somen Mitra on Wednesday hit out at TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee holding her responsible for the spread of BJP in the state. It is because of Trinamool Congress and not due to the weakening of either the Congress or the Left Front parties that the saffron party is gaining ground in the state, he said at a meet-the-press here.
Banerjee, the Congress leader said, has not announced whether TMC will lend support if there is a coalition headed by the BJP at the Centre after the polls. Asked to comment on the possibility of BJP getting the second highest number of seats after TMC in Bengal, Mitra said: "It is due to Mamata's party that BJP is rising in Bengal."
To another question whether Congress would seek Banerjee's support if it gets the chance to form the government after the poll results, Mitra said it would depend upon the decision of the party's central leadership. Asked about Congress's performance in the state, Mitra claimed it would better than its result of four seats in 2014. The state has 42 Lok Sabha seats. Banerjee has been mocking Congress saying it has turned into a 'signboard' party in the state.
He conceded that Congress started its campaign late owing to negotiations for seat sharing with the Left. Shortage of funds was the reason for the absence of high profile campaigns, he said. However, Congress' poll promises for Nyay and Right to Work has received huge response from the voters in West Bengal, he added.
