Don’t want to campaign for the Bhabanipur bypoll: Babul Supriyo
Banerjee has to win the Bhabanipur bypoll to retain her chief minister’s post after having lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram in the assembly elections held in April-May this year.
A day after joining the Trinamool Congress (TMC), former union minister Babul Supriyo on Sunday said he would not want the party to ask him to campaign for chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the September 30 assembly bypoll in Kolkata’s Bhabanipur..
Asked whether he would campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Priyanka Tibrewal, Supriyo, who was addressing a press conference here, said, “I know Priyanka’s family very well. She handled the cases filed against me. I found her to be a good lawyer. Mamata Banerjee does not need me to campaign for her. I will request the party not to put me in an embarrassing position.”
TMC Lok Sabha member Saugata Roy and the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien were also present at the press meet.
Banerjee has to win this bypoll to retain her chief minister’s post after having lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram in the assembly elections held in April-May this year. The counting of votes will take place on October 3.
He said he will go to Delhi on Wednesday and tender his resignation from the Asansol Lok Sabha seat. “When I was in the BJP I gave a lot to the BJP and worked for Bengal’s development. I always want a level playing field. Future will show what I will give to the TMC.”
“Babul is welcome to our family. I have seen him in Parliament for seven years...Mamata Banerjee will meet him tomorrow (Monday),” said Saugata Roy.
Asked whether he wants to see Banerjee topple the Narendra Modi government in 2024 general elections and become the next prime minister, Supriyo said, “In 2014, Modi was the hope. The massive mandate people of Bengal ensured for her (in the recent assembly polls) has a great value. There is no doubt that Mamata Banerjee is in a great position. That is why she and leaders of other opposition parties are in touch with each other.”
“I want to see the most popular person as PM and there is no doubt that Mamata Banerjee is one of them. There is no doubt that she will be at the top of the list of hopefuls,” he added.
