West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on 31 January said that she will sit on dharna in Kolkata from February 2 if the BJP-led Union government does not clear the state’s dues by February 1, reported news agency PTI.
Speaking at a public distribution programme in Malda on Wednesday, Banerjee urged the party workers and those affected by the non-payment of funds to participate in the dharna, which would be staged at the BR Ambedkar statue in Red Road area in the eastern metropolis.
“I have given them an ultimatum till February 1 to clear all dues of the state, failing which I will stage a dharna from February 2. If the dues are not cleared, I know how to get it through a movement,” PTI quoted her as saying.
“I urge all party leaders and workers to participate in the dharna… I want everyone’s support,” she said.
In her allegations, the state CM claimed that the state’s dues amount to a mammoth ₹7,000 crore for several central government-run schemes including MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMGAY), among others.
She also alleged that Congress has teamed up with CPI(M) to strengthen BJP in West Bengal in Lok Sabha polls 2024, adding no party but TMC is capable of politically fighting BJP in the state.
Seat sharing:
Meanwhile, the rift between INDIA bloc ally partners over a seat-sharing agreement in West Bengal continued to spill into the open on Wednesday as Mamata Banerjee reiterated her vow to fight alone in her state.
Banerjee, without naming any party or leader, said that there were some who appeared only during elections like Cuckoos in spring.
“I rarely come for politics but there are some parties which start chirping like cuckoos at the time of elections… Our fight with the BJP will continue. We will fight alone. If anyone can defeat BJP, it is Trinamool Congress,” Mamata said.
Her comments arrived as Congress sources indicated that they were still attempting to get Mamata on board as a potential ally and that seat sharing talks in Bengal were only on hold.
“INDIA bloc seat sharing in West Bengal is on hold. TMC and Congress are considering the proposals. TMC is still a part of INDIA Alliance,” the party’s sources said.
With agency inputs.
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Published: 31 Jan 2024, 02:16 PM IST