I don't trust Mamata, she can even back BJP: Adhir Chowdhury on TMC's 'outside support'

May 16, 2024 01:49 PM IST

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Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury reacted to Mamata Banerjee's announcement of Trinamool's ‘outside support’ to INDIA bloc if it forms the government.

Trinamool Congress can do a volte-face and support the BJP if they have a higher number in the Lok Sabha election, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said on Thursday commenting on Mamata Banerjee's latest announcement of TMC providing 'outside support' to the INDIA bloc. Adhir said he does not trust Mamata as she broke the alliance in West Bengal. In a major allegation against Mamata, Adhir said the West Bengal chief minister is already standing on the line to support the other alliance (NDA). The rift in INDIA bloc owing to Mamata came to the surface just ahead of the 5th phase of the election scheduled to be held on May 20.

Adhir Ranjan said Mamata is already queueing up to support the NDA.

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What is 'outside support'? What did Mamata say?

Despite being one of the main faces of the opposition INDIA bloc, Mamata Banerjee announced before the election that her party will not leave any seat for the Congress and CPM in West Bengal and TMC would contest solo. This was because of a fallout between the Trinamool and the Congress over the seat-sharing. Trinamool was not ready to leave as many seats in West Bengal as the Congress. Though the deal fell through in Bengal, Mamata did not walk out of INDIA bloc.

But after four phases of the election, Mamata announced on Wednesday that her party will support the INDIA alliance to form the government at the Centre from outside.

Outside support means the Trinamool will not join the government formation if INDIA wins and forms the government but will remain its ally and vote for it on bills. “BJP is claiming that it will win 400 seats, but people are saying it will not happen. The entire country has understood that the BJP is a party full of thieves. We (TMC) will support the INDIA bloc from outside to form a government at the Centre,” Mamata said adding that in West Bengal, the Congress and the CPM are with the BJP.

"We will extend our support so that in (West) Bengal, our mothers and sisters never face a problem... and those who work in the 100 days' job scheme, also do not face problems," Mamata said.