Kolkata: BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared similarities as neither apologised for their mistakes, CPI(M) said on Saturday.
"Even if Modi had no role in the riots, people of Gujarat were killed. If he thinks he will not apologise or express regret as the victims were minorities, such a leader will bring disaster to the country," CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose said at a meet-the-press programme here.
"Mamata also shares similar traits of not apologising for her mistakes one after another, from attacks on women and opposition party workers to the multi-crore chitfund scam," the CPI(M) politburo leader said.
On the Chief Minister`s allegation that the Saradha scam was a legacy of the Left Front government, he asked why was the state government opposing a CBI probe.
"All involved should be sent to jail including our men."
On the TMC chief claiming that the fire in her hotel room in Malda was a conspiracy to kill her, Bose said, "If that was so she continued to stay in the hotel that night. It is conspiracy by Trinamool Congress. A CPI(M) man was killed in Birbhum district because of the provocative comments of the CM."
Bose said he agreed with party politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that Mamata was the symbol of Saradha, not honesty.
When asked about BJP appearing to be soft toward TMC, particularly recent comments by Modi and LK Advani, Bose claimed BJP was still trying to keep Mamata Banerjee and her party in good humour to keep options open for a post-poll tie-up.
"It seems that there is a tactical political understanding between them and secret adjustment in some Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal," Bose said.
Asked about prospects of BJP in West Bengal, CPI(M) leader said compared to previous elections, the saffron party was contesting in a more comprehensive and planned manner with active support of RSS and other outfits.
"TMC is entirely responsible for paving the way for BJP in the state`s politics," Bose claimed.
The Marxist leader was confident that a non-BJP, non-Congress third front would come to power after the Lok Sabha elections.
Bose, however, refused to comment whether a rise in BJP`s vote share would benefit the Left or the ruling TMC.
"We have not researched it," he said.
Asked about the number of seats the Left parties could get in the state, he said, "Mamata is saying that her party will win all the 42 states in the state. Ask them."
Questioned on how the magic figure of 272 would be reached, Bose said this would be settled after the elections with talks among regional political parties.
He accused the Mamata Banerjee government of involvement in the Saradha chitfund scam, besides growing attacks on women, deteriorating law and order and attacks on opposition party workers in the state.
Alleging that attacks on party workers were on the rise, he urged the EC to play an effective role to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling.
