Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Tuesday and praised her for countering the “onslaught of the BJP” and declared his party’s support in her fight.
“If anyone in the entire country is taking on the BJP, it is Mamata Banerjee,” Akhilesh said after an hour-long meeting with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
“CM Mamata Banerjee is being harassed under the pretext of SIR [Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls]. We are confident that the people of Bengal have a deep emotional bond with their chief minister, and that she will become chief minister again. The BJP is fighting a battle to lose with dignity, but the people here will defeat them decisively,” he said.
Akhilesh was in Kolkata to attend a wedding and was accompanied by his wife Dimple.
“SIR has been brought in only to target West Bengal. For the first time, it has been seen that the Election Commission and the BJP are carrying out NRC [National Register of Citizens] in the name of SIR. Their objective is to delete as many voters as possible. Many people were forced to prove their citizenship,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister added.
He also attacked the BJP, saying the party was “playing with secularism”. “In Uttar Pradesh, more votes were deleted than in Bengal. Bengal is a cultural unit, not just a political unit. People here listen to Rabindra Sangeet, not songs of hatred. Those who try to divide will not succeed; those who spread sweetness will win,” he said.
Akhilesh also referred to the controversial Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches on premises linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC, including the residence of its director, Prateek Jain.
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“I congratulate Didi for her courage in responsibly fighting for the people. The agencies are an organisation of the BJP. Maharashtra was won using the ED and CBI. I am happy that Didi has defeated ED,” he said.
Banerjee also praised Akhilesh, saying , “Akhilesh and Kiran da [senior SP leader Kiranmoy Nanda] met me. He (Akhilesh) is doing very good work. My best wishes are with him.”
Akhilesh prayed at the Kalighat temple before meeting Banerjee, who welcomed him and Nanda with the traditional ‘Uttoriyo’.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
