At a time when defecting has become a norm among the political workers in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has called out the “opportunists” at her own party and warned them that she was in the know-how of everything.
Scores of Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers have left the party to join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, while the reverse has also happened to an equal extent if not more.
Recently, a few heavyweight TMC leaders have expressed their disenchantment with the party amidst reports that many of them might switch over to BJP.
While a few are disappointed with their dilapidated role in the party, others are mostly unhappy Prashan Kishor’s I-PAC, the political consultancy firm roped in by TMC to build their campaign for the next year’s Assembly Elections.
“I want to clarify one thing. Many people wonder who is Bankura’s observer, who is Purulia’s, who will look after Midnapore, who will see Jalpaiguri, who will see Asansol? I’m sending a message today: As a party worker, I’m the observer of entire Bengal.
“Block by block, who is doing what, who is contacting whom, from A to Z, I keep a track of everything. The party has also helped me.
“You may see a few who are Trinamool workers but are in contact with others as well. Don’t think that Didi doesn’t know.
“We believe that they are opportunists. There’s a group of these opportunists. They are very small in number. Keep a vigil on who is going where in the dark of the night. Who’s speaking to whom over the phone. Watch who’s leaving in a car without any reason,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said.
Mamata Banerjee, who was on a two-day administrative visit to Bankura, staged her first political rally ahead of next year’s Assembly Elections at the end of her trip on Wednesday.
At the public meeting in Shunukpahari Hat, Banerjee launched out a scathing attack against BJP. Hitting out at the party’s poaching of TMC leaders, she alleged that the saffron brigade was “buying” leaders from different parties.
“They have thousands of crores of money now. Earlier, they couldn’t even have a proper meal. One bidi was shared by three. Now they are calling TMC workers and saying ‘I will pay you two crores come over’.
“It’s even more disgusting to see CPIM. They are rallying behind BJP. I haven’t done anything. Just said that I don’t want revenge but change,” the TMC supremo said.
“Earlier, CPIM used to run a horror-regime in Bankura. Lots of people were homeless. People could not dare to come out of their home in Jangalmahal. Has Bankura forgotten everything?
“Bankura is at peace now. But today CPIM’s harmads are BJP’s harmads. Only the colour has changed, everything else is same. The heart is same only the face has changed.
“CPIM is the most selfish party. BJP always gains everything. Trinamool is the most generous,” she added.