Winning presidential elections won’t be easy for BJP: Mamata

Giving a warning to the BJP, Banerjee said, “The game is not yet over.” The Presidential elections will take place soon. Without our support, you (BJP) won’t sail through. You shouldn’t forget that.”

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CM Mamata Banerjee

CHIEF MINISTER Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that despite the BJP’s recent victory in assembly elections in four states, winning the upcoming presidential polls will not be easy for the saffron party as it doesn’t have even half the total number of legislators across the country.

Giving a warning to the BJP, Banerjee said, “The game is not yet over.” “The Presidential elections will take place soon. Without our support, you (BJP) won’t sail through. You shouldn’t forget that,” Banerjee said during her speech in the state Assembly that focused on the home department budget. She pointed out that of the total MLA seats in the country – around 4,000 – in the country, the BJP had only above 1,000. She said parties that do not have even half of the total number of legislators in the country should not talk big as parties such as the Samajwadi Party, despite defeat in Assembly polls, are stronger electorally than last time.

“Opposition parties together have more MLAs across the nation,” she added. In his speech, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the West Bengal police was “acting like TMC cadre.” Another BJP MLA, Agnimitra Paul, alleged that West Bengal is “number one in the country in terms of political murders.”

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When the CM mentioned that there were cases against Adhikari, BJP MLAs started shouting. The BJP then walked out of the Assembly. The CM, in her speech, also claimed that she got an offer to buy Pegasus spyware three years ago. “But I did not buy it. Because I don’t believe in interfering with people’s freedom of speech,” she said.

On the CM’s remarks on Pegasus, Adhikari said, “I have not heard what the Chief Minister said. If she has made such a claim about Pegasus, the inquiry committee that has started investigation into the matter under the supervision of the Supreme Court should interrogate the CM.”

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