Mamata challenges BJP, Congress, CPI(M) to defeat TMC in 2016 Bengal polls

Kolkata: Virtually sounding the bugle for next year’s assembly election in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday challenged BJP, CPI-M and Congress to come together and said her party Trinamool Congress would go it alone and defeat them.

“I challenge them (opposition parties). If they can fight us let them fight. Else apply lipstick and take rest,” a combative Banerjee told a huge rally here on the occasion of ‘Martyr’s Day’ observed annually by TMC.

“BJP, CPI-M and Congress have no ideology and morality. They have become irrelevant in Bengal. They only resort to spreading canards against us. They have no place in Bengal,” she said.

Throwing a challenge to opposition parties, Banerjee said “The more you challenge us, your seats will go down one by one. Let Congress, CPI-M and BJP come together, we will fight alone holding our head high standing beside the people. We will not bow down to anyone. We only want the blessings of the people.

“Assembly election is coming in 2016. We will win. After that election we will organise an even bigger rally which will break all records,” she said.

Claiming that CPI-M had done nothing for the state during its 34-year rule. “Whatever was left of the party (CPI-M) is now over as it has sold itself to BJP. TMC will not bow down to BJP, neither to Congress nor CPI-M.”

In an obvious reference to BJP she said “Those who don’t have ideology and morality spread the poison of communalism.”

Banerjee also cautioned her partymen and asked them to remain united and stand beside the masses. “Be prepared now. No other party but only you will be there.”

Making it clear that she would not tolerate any indiscipline which might tarnish TMC’s image, Banerjee warned those involved in “syndicate business” (business of supplying raw materials for building construction which often lead to infighting).

“Do your syndicate business, don’t do TMC. We want to remain a party of the poor,” she said.

Apparently keeping in mind the recent incidents of violence in campuses of various educational institutions in the state, the TMC supremo exhorted the students and youth to respect teachers and elders.

Listing the achievements of her government in the last four years she said it was providing rice at Rs 2 per kg to 3.20 crore people, while another 3 crore people would be given rice at Rs 3 a kg.

She said the Kanyashree scheme for the girl child of her government had drawn applause from across the world.

She said despite inheriting a whopping Rs two lakh crore debt from the previous LF government, her TMC government had worked in the last four years for which West Bengal had achieved progress.

PTI