Kolkata, April 21 (IANS) Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Sachin Pilot, campaigning for the party candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Murshidabad district’s Berhampore, said on Tuesday the constant tussle between the Mamata Banerjee government and the BJP-led government at the Centre has caused a lot of damage to the people of the state.

Speaking to media persons after arriving in Murshidabad, Pilot said, “The Congress party’s position will be much better. I think that the clash between the central government and the state government has caused a lot of damage to the people of Bengal. Now there is a demand for change everywhere. I hope that we will get good results in Bengal.”

He also said that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have already campaigned in West Bengal, which has given party workers an impetus to contest the Assembly polls with renewed fervour.

“I think that the Congress party’s decision to fight the elections here will give the party energy. Not only that, but we will win a lot of seats. We are fighting the elections to win. When the Congress had a government here, Bengal used to get all the benefits, whether it was industry, investment, development or infrastructure. But the clash between the state and the Centre has caused a lot of damage. The people of Bengal are suffering, and people want change,” he said.

The Congress leader was seen taking a ride in an open jeep along with the party’s Baharampur candidate Adhir Chowdhury during a road show.

The AICC general secretary further said that the BJP has been exposed after it tried to pass the Delimitation Bill in the guise of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

In this Assembly election, the Congress is contesting alone after severing ties with the Left Front. In the 2016 and 2021 Assembly polls, the Congress entered an electoral understanding with the CPIM-led Left Front and contested the election in alliance with them. In 2021, both the Congress and Left Front failed to win a single seat in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly.

Polling will be held in 294 Assembly constituencies of West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29. Counting of votes will take place on May 4.

–IANS

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