Suvendu Says Mamata Is ‘Irrelevant’ In Politics Now, Ex-CM Urges Opposition To Fight ‘First Enemy’ BJP

Kolkata: On a day when the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal was sworn in, the new CM and the ‘ex’ traded barbs, setting the tone for the new political narrative that will play out in a state which was ruled by the Left Front for 34 years and Trinamool Congress (TMC) for 15 years.

Mamata Banerjee, who lost to Suvendu Adhikari in her home turf of Bhabanipore, refused to concede defeat even after the BJP stormed to power on May 4 with 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly.

The outgoing CM, who accused the BJP and Election Commission of India (ECI) of ‘lootin’ over 100 seats, on Saturday urged all Opposition parties in West Bengal to unite under a “joint platform” to fight the BJP, reported PTI.

“I call upon all Opposition parties, including the Leftists and the ultra-Left, to come together to form a joint platform against the BJP. It is not the time to think the enemy’s enemy is my friend, our first enemy is the BJP,” the TMC supremo said in front of her Kalighat residence at a function to mark Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary.

Mamata also called upon student unions opposed to the BJP and even NGOs to unite against the BJP.

Asked about Mamata’s stance on a day when he replaced her as West Bengal’s CM, Suvendu was dismissive and voiced scorn.

“She (Mamata) is now irrelevant in West Bengal politics. I don’t think there is any need to waste more words on her,” Suvendu told newspersons after visiting Kalighat temple.

West Bengal’s ninth chief minister said the focus of the new government will be on “work” to ensure that the state is pulled out of a “rut” and all promises made by the party are fulfilled.