Did not want Abhishek to contest Lok Sabha polls again: Mamata
Mamata had wanted Abhishek to become a Rajya Sabha MP instead because 'it was in her hands' but he refused her offer.
Kolkata: Revealing her wish about the future of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee's political career, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee disclosed on Monday that she did not want to field him as a candidate for the Lok Sabha Election this time.
In a candid confession the West Bengal chief minister informed that she had wanted Abhishek to become a Rajya Sabha MP instead because "it was in her hands" but he refused her offer.
Banerjee also made it clear that the young Trinamul MP from Diamond Harbour, just for being her nephew, does not enjoy any privilege from her.
Her reservation against Abhishek contesting the Lok Sabha polls assumes signficance as the BJP has been training guns on him accusing him of corruption.
Campaigning for her nephew at Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas Ms Banerjee told the crowd, "Abhishek is one of my many workers. He serves the Trinamul sincerely. He is in charge of Trinamul Youth Congress. Do not think that he gets any facility from me in exchange of that. He works hard and he loves Diamond Harbour."
She elaborated, "Some men and women work as our star campaigners during the election. They include Firhad hakim, Aroop Biswas, Dipak Adhikary alias Dev, Nusrat Jahan, Subrata Bakshi, Partha Chatterjee, Moloy Ghatak and Rajiv Banerjee. Being leaders, they travel to districts and work there."
Sharing the secret Ms Banerjee told the party workers, "I am telling you a truth today. I had told Abhishek: You do not need to contest the Lok Sabha Election this time. I will later send you to Rajya Sabha as it is in my hands. So you skip the Lok Sabha Election because you have to travel entire Bengal like Bakshi and other ministers."
The Trinamul chief added, "Do you know what he replied to me? He said: I would not become a Rajya Sabha MP. I will remain in Diamond Harbour and would not leave it.' Only then I realised that he has love towards Diamond Harbour."
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