New Delhi, April 4 (IANS) Amid the ongoing electoral battle in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress, on Saturday, hit out at the Congress, with the BJP alleging that Congress is acting as the ruling party’s ‘B-team’.

The Trinamool Congress hit out at Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for his remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The Assembly election in West Bengal is scheduled to be held in two phases, April 23 and 29.

BJP Spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo alleged that Chowdhury told Muslim voters to support Trinamool Congress because Congress is not in a position to win anywhere in the country.

“Congress is acting as Trinamool Congress’ ‘B team’. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Congress didn’t even secure a single seat, and in the by-elections, maybe (they) won one or two seats,” he told IANS.

Deo claimed that senior Congress leaders are effectively asking voters to support the Trinamool Congress where the grand old party cannot win.

“Congress is not going to win anywhere. Veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is himself saying that don’t votes for us, instead vote for the Trinamool Congress,” the BJP Spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja accused the Congress’ Berhampore candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of harbouring hatred against Chief Minister Banerjee.

Panja told IANS, “We have seen that even at a personal level, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has so much hatred for Mamata Banerjee. We don’t expect him to speak something nice. Now, he is also doing divisive politics. He is dividing (people) on the basis of religion. So, congratulations to him.”

The Bengal Minister’s reaction comes in the aftermath of Chowdhury’s statement during a press conference where he claimed “CM Mamata Banerjee wants communal riots in Bengal”.

Panja also claimed that Congress is fighting for its identity in the poll-bound state.

“It’s an identity crisis for them (Congress),” she said.

She also added, “We look at the people of Bengal as ‘Maa, Maati, Maanush’. Division on the basis of caste, language, religion, all these kind of politics is not done by Mamata Banerjee. We (Trinamool Congress) will reach out to everyone.”

Panja, who is also a Minister in the incumbent West Bengal government said, “Now if the Congress thinks that it will single handedly win the election, the people of Bengal will give a befitting reply to that.”

–IANS

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