Addressing the state BJP leaders, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Friday slammed the CPI(M) and the Congress, but spared the ruling Trinamul Congress. The state BJP leaders who were expecting Mr Jaitley to attack the ruling party were profoundly disappointed. “There is a political party (read CPI(M)) which ruled Bengal for 34 years and totally ruined the state. The other party (read Trinamul Congress) which has come to power is still trying to find its way. There is a third party (read Congress) which ruled the Centre and completely halted the development of the country,” Mr Jaitley added.
The senior BJP leader was in the city on the invitation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to attend the Bengal Global Business Summit. After delivering his speech at the summit, Mr Jaitley drove down to the North Kolkata venue where the BJP state committee meeting was being held.
Mr Jaitley then went onto hint at an electoral adjustment between the CPI(M) and Congress. “Those who ruined the country and those who ruined the state are now sending come hither messages to each other,” he said, again without naming the political parties, but leaving no one in doubt about their identities. Asking state party leaders to strengthen the party organisation in the state, he made it clear that the BJP would not enter into any alliance with any party for the Assembly election. Reacting sharply to his statement, CPI(M) MP Mohammad Salim said it confirmed his party’s suspicion that there was a tacit understanding between the BJP and Trinamul Congress.
“We have always maintained that Mr Modi and Ms Mamata are hand in gloves. TMC and BJP are natural allies,” he added.
