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Rabi Banerjee
Rabi Banerjee

AGITATION

Mamata calls for Quit BJP movement in Bengal

PTI8_7_2017_000080B A man wearing rakhis depicting the TMC party symbol and photographs of Mamata Banerjee on Raksha Bandhan | PTI

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government at the Centre is observing 75 years of the Quit India movement, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to observe a month-long Quit BJP movement in the state.

Mamata has asked her party members to remain on the street and continue with the agitation programme against the BJP-led central government till September 5.

“We will not sit idle till we get rid of this government at the Center,” Mamata said on Wednesday in Midnapore district where she herself began the programme.

On July 21 this year, Mamata held a mammoth rally at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground and said that she would continue the fight to remove the BJP from power at the Center.

In an apparent dig at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, she said, “There are politicians who could be sold out. But I cannot be.” Nitish had recently broken alliance with the RJD and joined the BJP-led NDA.

Mamata said she would attend the meeting called by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath on August 11. The meeting will also be participated by RJD leader Lalu Prasad, NCP's Sharad Pawar, representatives from the BSP, left and Samajwadi Party. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechudi is yet to confirm his presence in the meeting.

Trinamool Congress sources said that Mamata’s decision to mark the Quit India movement as Quit BJP movement was to check the BJP’s rise in West Bengal.

“We have to admit that BJP has begun its communal politics in Bengal. And it all began at the insistence of the central leaders and the RSS. We will have to check their rise at any cost. So we observe this month as Quit BJP movement. Though it will be for one month, our endeavour will continue till the BJP is removed from power in Delhi,” said Trinamool Congress party secretary general, Partha Chatterjee.

Mamata has asked her party members to be present during the agitation in all 380 blocks of West Bengal. Observers are finding it as a calculated move on the part of Mamata Banerjee ahead of the panchyat election in 2018.

BJP has also started its preparation to win the panchyat election. Party president Amit Shah is coming to the state later this month or early next month.

Said BJP state general secretary Biswapriya Roychowdhury: “Amit ji will come and see the preparation for the panchyat poll.  He would also talk to all party leaders and district president and would ask them to throw full weight behind the party.”

Despite all these challenge, Mamata's bonhomie with Congress has taken her to a comfortable situation. In the assembly, the Congress MLAs had supported Mamata’s stand on GST bill. The chief minister also commended the Congress MLAs for supporting her.

Now it has to be seen whether such bonhomie lasts during the election.

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Topics : #Mamata Banerjee

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