Kolkata: After CPI(M)`s allegation that
the Trinamool Congress was funding its election campaign with
black money, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday said his
party was concerned with the "new richness" of the Mamata
Banerjee-led party.
"We are certainly concerned with the new richness of
Trinamool Congress. This is a new phenomenon. Even in Assam
where it is small party, it carried out the most expensive
campaign," Jaitley told a meet-the-press programme at the
Kolkata Press Club.
"I think Trinamool Congress has acquired new sources
of resources or new sources of resourceful friends," the BJP
leader said while replying to a question on the alleged use of
blackmoney by the Trinamool Congress.
Referring to the ongoing West Bengal assembly polls,
he said, "There is strong mood for change. People are
distressed. Enough is enough. And, that is going to be the
message of election to the Left Front."
"The political situation in West Bengal is in a state
of turmoil. After the seventh term the Left is likely to
experience a setback in this election."
He claimed that comparing to other states, West Bengal
lagged behind in development. "What Nitish Kumar could do in
five years, what Narendra Modi could do in ten, the Left Front
failed to do in 34 years," Jaitley said.
He said he hoped that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata
Banerjee, who has been harping on political change, "is aware
of her responsibility for governance and the change we have a
mind is change for the better."
Suggesting Trinanool Congress`s links with the
Maoists, the BJP leader said, "West Bengal needs a meaningful
change and it does not need be a journey from Marx to
Maoists."
"I do not think such a situation will arise," the
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha said to a question
whether there was a possibility of post-poll relationship
between BJP and TC.
He, however added, "I do not believe in the politics
of untouchability."
Pressed for elaboration, he said he did not mean any
particular party.
The BJP leader brushed aside Banerjee`s allegation of
a nexus between his party and the CPI(M) to split votes of the
Congress and the Trinamool Congress alliance. "The CPI(M) and
BJP are ideologically opposed to each other."
He said that objective of the BJP to fight in the
assembly election in the state was to increase its vote share,
expand its political base with an eye to the next Lok Sabha
election and to ensure a reasonable representation in the
state assembly.
He claimed that election results for the Congress in
five states were not going to be encouraging.
"The results in five states are not going to be
encouraging for the Congress ... there has been a drift which
has set in the Central government .... there is serious
leadership crisis at the Centre.
"A political crisis, drift in the governance coupled
with electoral setback would adversely impact both politics
and governance at the Centre," he added.
PTI
