- Mamata Banerjee called for unity of all parties against the BJP in West Bengal
- BJP accused Banerjee of trying to revive Maoists and promote anti-national elements
- BJP said Banerjee's unity call is an excuse to stir trouble in the state
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee went into a confrontation mode with the ruling BJP over her call for unity cutting across party lines. Following the Trinamool Congress's defeat after a 15-year run, Banerjee has been alleging an unfair contest dealt to her party with using the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise, an allegation that the ruling party has denied.
In her latest attack, she said, "All parties should unite against the BJP. We will take everyone along. It is not my ego talking. I don't have any ego issues on this."
The BJP has taken her "call for unity" as an excuse to dogwhistle anti-national elements to come together in order to create trouble in the border state. The ruling party said Banerjee is the face of a new brand of communism.
"Trinamool is working to revive Maoists. She will bring Maoists too in the name of unity. Her party took Maoists' support to come to power," the BJP said.
Even the Congress also took a swipe at her, saying she tried to sabotage the party when they were allies.
On Saturday, while new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's oath ceremony was taking place at Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata, Banerjee was celebrating the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, as per the Bengali calendar, at her house in Kalighat in south Kolkata.
At the end of the programme, she called for unity among all anti-BJP forces in the state against the new government.
"The thunder of post-poll violence is everywhere in the state. I call upon all anti-BJP forces, all students' and youth organisations, and all non-government organisations to unite. We want to form a united front against the BJP," she said.
She also made it clear that even her once-arch political rival, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front in West Bengal, are welcome in the united front against the BJP.
"Left, ultra-left, and any other national party are welcome. Let us all come together and remain united. Anyone is welcome to approach me. Henceforth, I will be at my office every day from 4 pm to 6 pm. My first enemy is the Bharatiya Janata Party," the former chief minister said.
The BJP's attack on her coining her call with reviving Maoists came after these comments.
The Trinamool faced a landslide defeat in the hands of the BJP. Banerjee herself lost from Bhabanipur seat to the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of over 15,000 votes.
