Didi buries Cong alliance hopes

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Trinamool announced 42 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, fielding expelled Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra from Krishnanagar…reports Asian Lite News

Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced 42 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, fielding expelled Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra from Krishnanagar.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, announced the TMC candidates at a show of strength in the heart of Kolkata on Sunday.

As expected, Abhishek Banerjee is on the TMC ticket from Diamond Harbour while former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan has been fielded from Behrampore. He will be pitted against Congress heavyweight Adhir Chowdhury.

Mahua was expelled as a Lok Sabha MP on December 8 following the report by the Parliamentary Ethics Panel in connection with the alleged ‘cash-for-query’ case.

The announcement of candidates also put rest all lingering hopes of a seat-sharing pact with the Congress in the state. However, despite not allying with the Congress, the TMC continues to be an ally of the grand old party in the INDIA bloc.

Earlier on Sunday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Trinamool Congress will announce the candidates for all 42 seats in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“Today, I will bring before you candidates for all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal,” West Bengal CM said at the rally at the Brigade Parade Grounds of Kolkata

The Trinamool Congress kicked off the campaign for the upcoming elections through its show of strength.

In the previous Lok Sabha polls, the TMC won 22 seats while the BJP sprung a major surprise, winning 18 seats. The Congress won the remaining two seats.

In 2019, the BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats.

Congress slams Mamata

After the Trinamool Congress dumped Congress by announcing its candidates for all 42 seats in West Bengal, including a surprise nomination for Yousuf Pathan from the Berhampore Lok Sabha seat for the upcoming polls, state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday claimed that chief minister Mamata Banerjee is fearful of PM Modi.

“Mamata Banerjee is worried that if she joins the INDIA Alliance, she will have to face Modi. She is worried that if the ED and CBI start visiting TMC on Modi’s orders, it could pose a risk to the TMC party. So, by distancing herself from the alliance, Mamata Banerjee is sending a message to Modi’s office: Don’t be upset with me; I’m not part of the alliance and I won’t compete with the BJP,” he said.

The Congress leader also claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s main aim is to defeat Adhir Chowdhury at any cost, even if it means BJP winning.

“Adhir Chowdhary must be defeated at any cost. Mamata Banerjee has no problem if the BJP wins instead, that’s why Yusuf Pathan was nominated from here,” he said.

Yousuf Pathan has been fielded from Berhampore, where Congress heavyweight, Adhir Chowdhury is a sitting MP.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fielded Mahua Moitra, the expelled Lok Sabha member, from Krishnanagar.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, announced the TMC candidates at a show of strength in the heart of Kolkata on Sunday.

As expected, Abhishek Banerjee is on the TMC ticket from Diamond Harbour, while former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan has been fielded from Berhampore. He will be pitted against Congress heavyweight Adhir Chowdhury.

Mahua was expelled as a Lok Sabha MP on December 8 following the report by the Parliamentary Ethics Panel in connection with the alleged ‘cash-for-query’ case.

The announcement of candidates also put to rest all lingering hopes of a seat-sharing pact with the Congress in the state. However, despite not allying with Congress, the TMC continues to be an ally of the grand old party in the INDIA bloc.

TMC ranks full of rapists, says BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party IT cell head Amit Malviya on Sunday slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) party for nominating Shatrugan Sinha as their candidate from Asansol in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Sharing a rape scene from the actor-turned-politicians old movie on his social media account ‘X’, Malviya alleged that the TMC ranks are full of individuals accused of sexual harassment, both in real and reel life, citing examples like Shahjahan Sheikh, a TMC leader accused of sexual harassment.

“Meet Shatrugan Sinha, TMC’s candidate from Asansol. TMC rank is full of rapists, both in real (likes of Shahjahan Sheikh) and reel life. Surprised Mamata Banerjee didn’t ask Shatrughan Sinha to join her on the eve of International Women’s Day for the sham women empowerment march,” he said in a post on ‘X’

Shahjahan Sheikh, a former leader of the TMC who has been arrested, is facing accusations from numerous women in Sandeshkhali. They allege that he committed land-grabbing and sexual assault.

Sandeshkhali has been on a boil and witnessed violent protests in recent days over the allegations of “sexual abuse” against Shahjahan Sheikh, who was arrested earlier this week after remaining elusive for over a month.

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