Countering the CPI (M)'s charge that the Trinamool Congress was using black money to fund its election campaign for the ongoing Assembly polls in West Bengal, party chief Mamata Banerjee said it was the CPI(M) which had used, among other things, money in the past elections to remain in power.
“The CPI(M) believes that it will be able to cling on to power by spending money and intimidating voters…But no longer will it be able to, for now it realises that the earth beneath its feet is slipping away with each day,” she told an election rally at Raina in Bardhaman district on Sunday.
The CPI(M) had complained to the Election Commission that the Trinamool was using illegally acquired money for its campaign.
‘Lies and canards'
Accusing the CPI(M) of “spreading lies and canards” against the Trinamool she alleged that “development funds meant for the people have all gone into the pockets of the CPI(M).”
“It has looted people's money as it has looted their land,” Ms. Banerjee said.
At another rally in Asansol she said that CPI(M) was in the top bracket along with parties such as the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in terms of assets. “It has built palatial buildings in the name of party offices,” she added.
“They [the CPI(M)] have all the minus points conceivable…they have looted Bengal. Thirty-five years ago it was a party of the poor…today they have crores of rupees [in their coffers],” she alleged.
Over a lakh false cases
She also said that “more than a lakh false cases” had been filed against the opponents of the CPI(M). “When our government comes to power we will withdraw all these cases and release the political detainees,” she said, adding that she had nothing against those who believe in the Left “but not the CPI(M).”
That the Trinamool was also anxious that the BJP could eat into the anti-Left vote in the polls has been evident in her speeches. As in nearly all previous rallies over the past few weeks, she charged the CPI(M) with “having brought the BJP” into the State “to facilitate its own victory by dividing [the anti-Left] votes.”
