Calling the Congress and CPM as the B team of BJP, Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee urged people of Murshidabad not to vote for the traitors, who have not protested against Bengal’s deprivation by the Centre.

He was addressing a rally at Jangipur in Murshidabad this afternoon. Khalilur Rahaman of Trinamul Congress had won the seat in 2019 by 2.5 lakh votes.

Coming down heavily on the Bengal Congress and calling Adhir Chowdhury as the “branch manager” he said, “On 2 September, 2023 when Miss Banerjee attended the INDIA alliance meet, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were eager to form an alliance with Trinamul Congress. On the same day, Adhir Chowdhury criticized Trinamul Congress at the Dhupguri by-election. When the leaders in Delhi were eager to make an alliance, the branch manager here had opposed it just to keep his narrow interests intact. He had challenged Mamata Banerjee to contest against him in Baharampur, but never challenged any of the BJP leaders like Dilip Ghosh or Sunakta Mazumdar or Suvendu Adhikari to fight against him.

This clearly shows for whom he is working. He has to keep his CPM and BJP bosses happy for his own narrow interests. “Malda and Murshidabad had been Congress’s strongholds. However, in the 2021 Assembly election, 28 out of 34 seats in these two districts were bagged by Trinamul Congress,” said Abhishek.

He said when the Trinamul Congress was protesting in Delhi urging the Centre to clear the dues of the job card holders under MGNREGA, no letter to the Centre on this issue had been written either by Adhir Chowdhury or AH Khan Chowdhury. “Hope the people of Malda and Murshidabad have identified the traitors and will give them a befitting reply in the EVMs on 7 May.”

Criticising CPM candidate Mohammad Selim, the TMC national general secretary, said, “This migrant politician had contested from Raigunj, north Kolkata and now contesting from Murshidabad. Have you ever seen him saying a single word when the BJP deliberately stopped Bengal’s dues?”

Mr Banerjee said 18 lakh women had received Lakshmir Bhandar in Murshidabad, while 2.34 lakh job card holders have received their dues given by the state government. Kanyashri scheme is being enjoyed by 28 lakh girls while another 76 lakh students are getting Aikayashree scholarship.” Mamata Banerjee looks after all sections of the community but the BJP leader has announced that if it comes to power, within three months, Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will be stopped. No action has been taken against the leader. I assure the women that they will continue to get Lakshmir Bhandar so long as Ma Mati Manush government is in power.

Coming down heavily on PM Narendra Modi, he said, “Mark his language and the way he is attacking a particular religious community.”

Abhishek urged people to vote for Trinamul Congress to strengthen the hands of INDIA alliance. “Vote for Trinamul for uninterrupted development and punish the traitors.”