Kolkata, March 19 (IANS) Accusing the Congress and the BJP of appeasing some religious communities during electoral battles, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Wednesday claimed her party would play an important role in the formation of the central government.
Addressing a party workers' meeting in Itahar in North Dinajpur district, Banerjee said the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have formed a syndicate, and voting for one of them meant voting for the other two.
"We don't appease any religious communities during elections. As soon as elections approach, Congress sings paeans for Muslims and BJP appeases the Hindus," she said.
"We work for all - be it Hindus, Muslims, general category or backward classes - not just during elections," the West Bengal chief minister said.
Banerjee alleged that the Congress and the BJP have come to an "understanding" and divided Andhra Pradesh, and said she would rather face death than let them divide Bengal.
"The Congress and the BJP had a secret pact in parliament during the passage of the Telangana bill. They have divided Andhra Pradesh. It depends on the state whether it will be bifurcated or not. One has to take the state's consent. I will be prepared for death but will not cede an inch of our land," she said.
Itahar is a part of the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat, a Congress stronghold, from where union minister Deepa Dasmunsi is contesting.
Trinamool has named Satyaranjan Dasmunsi, brother of Deepa's ailing husband former union minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi.
With the Congress criticising the Trinamool for "preventing" the central government from setting up an All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) at Raiganj, Banerjee Wednesday returned fire.
"What is stopping the centre from setting up AIIMS in Raiganj? Let them acquire land and do it. The centre does not keep its promises. We have given a go ahead for a medical college in Raiganj," she said.
Banerjee said neither the Congress nor the BJP would be able to form a government at the centre after the Lok Sabha polls.
"We (Trinamool) will play an important role in the formation of the next central government," she said.
Puducherry chief minister betrayed his people: Jayalalithaa
Puducherry, March 27 (IANS) Terming her Puducherry counterpart N.Rangasamy weak and non-functio
More than four years after it was passed by Parliament, the rules related to the Citizenship Amen
4.6 mn to be tested for diabetes in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, Feb 25 (IANS) The Odisha government has decided to this year examine all people age
A new wave of corona is the deadliest, with 6 lakh active cases in less than two months
For the first time since the onset of corona infection in the country, the number of active cases
Assam students want action on state's burning issues
Guwahati, March 18 (IANS) The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), an influential students organis
PVR to Host Oscar Film Fest in 23 Indian Cities
New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) Before Hollywood aficionados in India sit down to watch the forthcoming
DMDK members suspended from Tamil Nadu assembly
Chennai, Feb 19 (IANS) Lawmakers belonging to DMDK were suspended Thursday from attending the o
Eleven Supreme Court lawyers will participate in Thursday's bail hearing of former ISKCON priest
Corona has weakened in the country. Cases are coming down and more patients are recovering. In th
Corona sufferers are no longer a threat to others after just 11 days
The country's National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), which is conducting research on cor