Tag: Trinamool

  • Trinamool has more hoardings in Goa than members: Congress state unit chief

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Taking a dig at the TMC, Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar on Sunday said there are more hoardings of the party in the state than members and alleged that the BJP think tank had launched “another team” in the form of the Mamata Banerjee-led party to break the Congress vote.

    Hitting out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Chodankar also asserted that “Goa will be governed from Goa, not West Bengal or Delhi”.

    “Right now their (TMC) hoardings show only Mamata Banerjee. I don’t know what Mamata Banerjee will do in Goa? AAP only shows (Arvind) Kejriwal, what does he have to do in Goa? Goa cannot be run by people from Bengal or Delhi, Goa has to be run from Goa,” the Goa Congress chief told PTI in an interview.

    Asked about the entry of the TMC into Goa ahead of the assembly elections next year, Chodankar said they had made attempts earlier also but “went back”.

    “We do not know their (TMC’s) intention in coming to Goa. If their intention is to give a win to the BJP they will not succeed. Without serving that state, people will not support anybody,” he said.

    The TMC has come three months before the polls and the people will not believe it, Chodankar said.

    Alleging that the TMC had no support base and was functioning on the strength of poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) firm, Chodankar said party workers cannot be replaced by “paid workers”.

    Asked if he was hinting at a BJP-TMC collusion, he said Kishor had “confirmed it” by saying that the BJP is here to stay.

    Even during Mamata Banerjee’s visit, Goans realised that I-PAC has more members, around 350, than the TMC members which are around 130-140, he said.

    I-PAC is politically more powerful than the TMC in Goa, Chodankar claimed.

    He said the best people to answer why the TMC had come to Goa were “Amit Shah and the Enforcement Directorate”.

    On TMC’s and AAP’s electoral challenge, Chodankar alleged that “when the BJP’s think tank realised that the AAP is not doing well and they will not succeed in breaking Congress votes, they decided to launch another team in the form of TMC”.

    His remarks come a day after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee trained her guns on the Congress, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become more powerful as the grand old party is not serious about politics, and alleged that the country is suffering because that party does not take decisions.

    Asked about the high-profile induction of Tennis legend Leander Paes and actress Nafisa Ali in the TMC during Banerjee’s visit to Goa, Chodankar quipped, “In Goa, TMC has more hoardings than actual members…even after their joining.”

    In politics you need people connected to the ground, not glamour, he said in a swipe at the induction of Paes and Ali.

    The TMC had taken former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro in its ranks but after realizing that he has no political value, they “dumped him”, Chodankar said, adding that the party was neither using his name nor photo.

    He asserted that the Congress cadre has been fighting on every issue of Goans and the recent visit of Rahul Gandhi had energised the cadres and made them battle ready for the polls.

    “Goa is Congress and Congress is Goa. Goa suits Congress and Congress suits Goa. BJP does not suit Goa’s ideology,” he claimed.

    “So, people of Goa are with us and the BJP cannot defeat us. It is trying various tricks to divide our vote as they cannot get our votes,” Chodankar said.

    He expressed confidence that the Congress will get an absolute majority this time.

    Chodankar said the Congress was in talks with parties for alliances and studying various proposals but refused to divulge any details.

    The Congress had won the highest 17 seats in the 40-member House in the 2017 Goa assembly elections, restricting the main opponent BJP to 13. But the saffron party moved to ally with regional parties and came to power under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar, now deceased.

    The Congress had accused the BJP of “stealing” the mandate, a charge the saffron party rejected.

    Over the years, the Congress’ strength in the Legislative Assembly dwindled to four after many of its MLAs switched sides and joined the ruling BJP.

    The ruling BJP, opposition Congress, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, TMC, Shiv Sena and regional parties like the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party are all in the poll fray with not much clarity yet on forging of alliances.

  • ‘Must defeat BJP to prevent Tripura from becoming Afghanistan’: Trinamool sounds poll bugle

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday claimed his party would form the Government in Tripura in the 2023 state assembly elections.

    Banerjee promised to end what he claimed was “BJP’s misrule” and said his party follow West Bengal’s model of ‘good governance’ to deliver fruits of development to the Northeastern state.

    Addressing a gathering before the Rabindra Shatabrshiki Bhaban (Tagore Centenary Hall) here, Banerjee alleged that law and order has collapsed in the state and development has come to a standstill ever since the BJP came to power in Tripura.

    He also termed all poll pledges made by the ruling BJP as ‘jumla’ (fake promise) as he claimed these had not been fulfilled despite the party being in power for more than three and half years.

    “They say BJP is a double engine government (but) If we compare the reports cards of West Bengal with that of the BJP led government in Tripura and in the centre, we see hardly any developments there (in Tripura and nationally)”, Banerjee claimed.

    He said TMC would fight in all the seats of the civic polls in the state including the Agartala Municipal Council slated for November 25 next and the sixty member assembly elections to be held in 2023 to “unseat the BJP.”

    “We must fight and defeat BJP, otherwise the situation in Tripura would turn similar to Afghanistan. BJP leaders have already instigated their party workers to launch attacks on TMC activists in Talibani style,” Banerjee said, “the double engine government of BJP is like corona virus and they need only one dose which is Mamata Bandopaddhayay.”

    He claimed that TMC would be able to form government in Goa in three months by defeating the BJP-led Government there.

    Banerjee said, “TMC did not believe in forming governments by the back door. If we want, we can break (Goa) government even now. 15 MLAs are ready to join us, but we do not believe in back-door politics. We want to form government in a democratic manner. We are enjoying overwhelming response from common people, who are fed up with this government. We are sure we would form government in Tripura in 2023”, he said.

    Ashish Das, a BJP legislator from Tripura and Rajib Banerjee, a national body member of BJP on Sunday joined TMC and Banerjee welcomed them with his party’s flag ion- stage.

    He said TMC supremo, Mamata Bandopadhyay would visit Tripura in December and address a gathering here.

    “Whatever is possible to oust BJP from the government will be done. If necessary, I will spill blood,” Banerjee said.

    He alleged that the government had hatched conspiracy to cancel Sunday’s programme by misusing police and administration, but could not succeed due to the interjection by of the Tripura High Court.

    The High Court of Tripura late Saturday night gave permission to the Trinamool Congress to hold its planned rally for the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee after the local police cancelled its earlier permission, subject to the proviso that not more than 500 people would be allowed to attend.

    Amid a spike in coronavirus cases in parts of the country, the BJP-led state government had on Saturday also issued fresh guidelines making COVID-19 tests mandatory for people entering Tripura from several states including West Bengal.

    TMC had promptly reacted calling this a politically motivated move.

    “The BJP is scared of Abhishek. They are using coronavirus as a shield to stop him from addressing the people of Tripura. This shows they know well that the people of Tripura are no longer with the BJP,” TMC leader Partha Chatterjee had claimed.

  • Blow to BJP, party’s Bengal biggie, Tripura MLA join Trinamool

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The BJP suffered a jolt on Sunday as its national executive member from West Bengal Rajib Banerjee and Tripura MLA Ashis Das defected to the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

    The duo joined the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led party at a rally, addressed among others by party leader Abhishek Banerjee, in Tripura capital Agartala.

    Banerjee, a former minister in Mamata’s cabinet, had deserted the TMC in January ahead of Assembly elections in West Bengal to wear saffron.

    He on Sunday said he had made a mistake by joining the BJP and apologised for it. The BJP gave only false promises to the people to derive political mileage, he said.

    “I feel ashamed and guilty that I had joined the BJP,” Banerjee said.

    Das, whose defection was on expected lines, heaped praise on Mamata but slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the people in Tripura were suffering under the BJP governments, at the centre as well as the state.

    Early this month, he had shaved off his head and offered a puja at the famous Kalighat temple in Kolkata to atone for the “blunder” he made by joining the BJP.

    The Surma MLA had then said the “evil” BJP was “swallowing” the entire country.

    “I feel I had committed a crime by becoming a part of the BJP. It was a blunder that I made. I offered a puja at Kalighat temple and tonsured my head to make amends,” he had stated. 

  • Bengal by-polls: Obstructed by Trinamool workers while going to cast vote, alleges BJP candidate

    By ANI

    COOCH BEHAR: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Dinhata Assembly seat in Cooch Behar, Asoke Mandal, on Saturday alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers tried to stop him while he was going to cast his vote at booth number 291 at Dinhata High School.

    Meanwhile, West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 28.38 per cent till 11 am in the four Assembly constituencies during the by-elections on Saturday.

    According to the election commission, the Dinhata assembly seat recorded 28.73 per cent voter turnout while 33.87 per cent turnout was recorded on the Gosaba seat.

    Khardaha seat witnessed a voter turnout of 23.60 per cent whereas the Santipur seat reported a 32.31per cent turnout.

    The voting began at around 7 am and will continue till 6:30 pm on Saturday.

    Santipur and Dinhata seats fell vacant after BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar and Nishith Pramanik resigned from the assembly, respectively.

    Whereas, elections on the other two seats are being held as All India Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) MLAs Kajal Sinha (Khardah) and Jayanta Naskar (Gosaba) died due to COVID-19.

    There is a tough fight between the BJP and the TMC for retaining the seats they had and capturing the other two.

    TMC leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, who had resigned from the Bhabanipur constituency to facilitate Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s election to the Assembly, is fighting from Khardah.

    The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC registered a landslide victory in polls held earlier this year, winning 213 seats in the 294-member West Bengal assembly. The BJP emerged as the second-largest party with 77 seats.

    Other than West Bengal, voting is underway in three parliamentary seats and 26 other assembly constituencies in various states across the country today.

    The results of these polls will be announced on November 2.

    “The Commission has reviewed the situations related to the pandemic, flood, festivals, cold conditions in certain regions, feedback from concerned States/UT and taken into consideration all facts and circumstances and it has decided to hold bye-elections to fill vacancies in three Parliamentary Constituencies of UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu; Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh and 30 vacancies in Assembly Constituencies of various States,” read the Election Commission of India’s press note released on September 28.

  • ‘Modi will be more powerful as Congress not serious about politics’: Mamata’s jibe at Gandhis

    Apparently targeting the BJP-led central government, she said there was enough of Delhi's 'dadagiri' (bullying).

  • Opposition unity critical for change in Goa, says GFP chief Vijai Sardesai ahead of 2022 polls

    By ANI

    PANAJI: Goa Forward Party (GFP) president Vijai Sardesai, who will be meeting West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday in Goa, called for Opposition unity to end the “corrupt and communal regime” in the state.

    He also urged the Opposition to take the 2022 assembly elections seriously.

    Sardesai further said that he has been rooting for a strong team to take on BJP.

    “For two years I have been rooting for strong TeamGoa to take on Goa BJP. Opposition unity is critical to end this corrupt and communal regime. Let’s get serious about 2022. I’ll call on Mamata Banerjee with my senior party colleagues tomorrow at 10 AM on her invitation. #ChalYaFuddem!” tweeted the Goa Forward Party president on Friday.

    In April this year, the Goa Forward party had quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over differences in the “agenda of the government”.

    Banerjee is on a visit to Goa as her party seeks to branch out into new states.

    Goa Assembly has a strength of 40 members out of which BJP currently has 17 legislators and enjoys the support of legislators from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and three independents. GFP and MGP each have three MLAs.

    Congress, on the other hand, has 15 MLAs in the house.

  • Nafisa Ali, Mrinalini Deshprabhu join Trinamool in Goa in Mamata’s presence

    By ANI

    PANAJI: Ahead of the 2022 assembly polls, Bollywood actress Nafisa Ali and Mrinalini Deshprabhu on Friday joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) in presence of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.

    “We are elated to share that Nafisa Ali and Mrinalini Deshprabhu have joined the Goa Trinamool Congress family today in the presence of our Hon’ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial. We wholeheartedly welcome both leaders!,” tweeted TMC.

    West Bengal Chief Minister is in Goa and expected to interact with party workers and the fishermen community there.

    Later, during the evening, Banerjee will visit Mangueshi Temple at 3:30 pm in Priol, Ponda. She will also visit Shri Mahalsa Narayani Temple at 04:00 pm in Mardol, Ponda. Further, Banerjee will visit to Tapobhoomi Temple at 04:30 pm in Kundaim, Ponda.

    Concluding the day, Mamata Banerjee will interact with Civil Society Members at 05:45 pm in International Centre Goa.

    On October 24, 300 people have joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in three different events that took place in the Panaji, Navelim and Sanguem area of Goa, as per the press note released by the party.

    “The entire block-level leadership of Congress party, including President Conceicao Peixote and over 170 workers, joined the Goa TMC in the presence of TMC National Vice-President Luizinho Faleiro in Navelim on Saturday,” reads the release.

    As per the release on the same day, a senior Congressman from St Cruz joined the party in the presence of West Bengal Minister of State Shri Manas Ranjan Bhunia and Goa Trinamool Congress leaders Shri Yatish Naik and Shri Mario Pinto in Panaji.

    Similarly, over 150 people including the Sarpanch and four Panchs of Molcornem Panchayat joined the party in the presence of TMC’s Parliamentary leader in Rajya Sabha, Shri Derek O’Brien and independent MLA from Sanguem Shri Prasad Gaonkar in Sanguem.

    Goa Assembly has a strength of 40 members out of which BJP currently has 17 legislators and enjoys the support of legislators from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and three independents. GFP and MGP each have three MLAs.

    Congress, on the other hand, has 15 MLAs in the house.

  • Dinhata bypoll: BJP faces acid test at its stronghold in north Bengal

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA:  As the BJP suffered a jolt in its north Bengal stronghold after two of its MLAs joined the ruling Trinamool Congress, the Dinhata Assembly bypoll will be an acid test for the saffron camp. 

    In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP MP from Cooch Behar Nisith Pramanik, who contested in the recent Assembly elections, won merely by 57 votes in Dinhata.

    Understandably, the TMC is waiting to breach the opposition’s citadel.  

    ‘’Our party had a slender victory in Dinhata and now if we fail to retain the seat in Cooch Behar, it will deliver a negative message to the electorates across the state, which will definitely have a negative impact on all municipal and panchayat elections in the state. This why the Dinhata bypoll is an acid test,’’ said a BJP leader.

    Udayan Guha of  the TMC will take on BJP’s Ashok Mondol in the October 30 bypoll. The seat fell vacant after Pramanick was elevated as a union minister in Delhi.

    Incidentally, Guha is the son of Forward Bloc leader Kamal Guha, who had strong influence among the electorate of Cooch Behar. 

    The TMC candidate is no pushover as he was elected as a Forward Bloc candidate from the constituency in the 2011 bengal Assembly elections and re-elected as a Trinamool MLA in 2016. 

    The BJP, however, is counting on Trinamool’s intra-party feud for retaining the seat.

    “Cooch Behar sprung a surprise as the electorate elected Pramanik as MP and seven of our nine MLAs. People of Dinhata will not disappoint us,’’ said a BJP leader.

    But, the TMC claims to have revived its organisation in the north Bengal district. 

    “People of Dinhata elected BJP’s Pramanik who shunned them by deciding not to continue as the MLA of the constituency. They will not vote for the saffron party this time,” asserted a TMC leader.

    WHY DINHATA IS IMPORTANT

    Dinhata is a battle of prestige for the BJP because it falls in North Bengal, which is considered a stronghold area of the saffron party.

    In the 2019 general elections, the BJP won here 18 Lok Sabha constituencies in the eastern state. Moreover, Junior home minister Nisith Pramanik comes from this part of West Bengal.

  • Trinamool will do very well in Goa Assembly polls: Babul Supriyo

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Trinamool Congress leader Babul Supriyo on Monday expressed confidence that his party will do “very well” in the Goa Assembly elections due early next year.

    Several TMC leaders, including Supriyo and party MPs Mahua Moitra and Saugata Roy, have arrived in Goa ahead of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC head Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the state scheduled on October 28.

    The TMC has already announced its decision to contest the Assembly elections in Goa.

    The forthcoming Goa Assembly poll is an important election and the “TMC will do very well in it,” Supriyo told reporters.

    “This (Goa) is one place in India which should see a lot of development to make it more tourist-friendly,” said Supriyo, who joined the TMC last month after quitting the BJP.

    He said Goa is known for its culture, tradition, music and wonderful beaches.

    “A lot more can be done here,” he added.

    Last month, former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro joined the TMC, while state Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar has also extended support to the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

    The TMC last week appointed Faleiro as its vice president.

    The party has been inducting several local leaders in its fold ever since it announced its intention to contest the Goa Assembly polls.

    Elections to the 40-member House in the state are due in February 2022.

  • Cartoon showed Mamata crushing PM and Shah: claims BJP, slams Trinamool

    A statement by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's office claimed the tweet by the AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) was deleted immediately.