PM ‘shamelessly’ engaging in horse-trading, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Furious over PM Narendra Modi’s claim of “being in touch with 40 Trinamul Congress MLAs”, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday directly accused him of “horse-trading shamelessly”.

Wondering how a person holding the post of PM could talk of buying MLAs, she also demanded the cancellation of Mr Modi’s candidature from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.

The TMC chief said that even if all of her party MLAs were purchased, her government could not be toppled as she can alone create new leaders. She also complained of money power by the BJP. Addressing a rally at Bhadreshwar in Hooghly, Ms Banerjee said, “On Monday the PM claimed at Sreerampore that 40 Trinamul MLAs have been in touch with him. As a PM he is talking of buying MLAs! He is horse-trading shamelessly.”

Virtually throwing a challenge to Mr Modi, she said, “Let him take away as many as he can. Even if one leaves, I am capable enough to create 100 more. We are not thieves like his party. His party is run on money. But our party is run on blood relations. His candidature should be cancelled because whatever he is saying is unconstitutional. He has violated the decorum of the constitutional post while holding it. He has no right to be a PM.”

Lashing out at the saffron party, she said, “The people of Bengal will never bring a force like BJP in power. They can not keep the people united. They do not love the people. The people will give them a befitting reply democratically.”

Ms Banerjee blamed the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of wearing an “indifferent attitude” to the people’s requirement in the state. She reasoned that several reque-sts to the Centre to sanction welfare schemes did not elicit any response.

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