Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday addressed three joint election rallies in the state, asking party workers to join hands with CPI(M) cadre to end Mamata Banerjee’s dictatorship in Bengal.
Political history was written on Saturday when CPI(M) leaders shared the stage with Congress vice-president and the cadres enthusiastically chanted “Rahul Gandhi lal salaam”.
At his first rally at Niyamatpur in Burdwan’s Kulti, Mr Gandhi campaigned for six Assembly candidates, of which four were from the Left Front.
Former CPI(M) MP Bangsagopal Chowdhury also addressed the rally.
There were as many Left Front workers in the rally as Congress workers and the venue was awash with red flags, not only of CPI(M) but also of Forward Bloc, CPI and RSP.
Buoyed by the huge turnout comprising workers of both camps, Mr Gandhi said the media, which earlier felt the Trinamul Congress would have a walkover in the Assembly election in Bengal, has changed its opinion. “After the Left Front and Congress joined hands, it is becoming increasingly clear that now Mamataji is not going to come back. Now the Congress-Left Front coalition will come to power in the state,” he predicted.
Mr Gandhi not only spoke about jointly contesting the poll with the Left Front but also outlined the priorities of the next coalition government with them.
“Our government will be the people’s government and not a one-man regime. It will work for the welfare of the poor, deprived, farmers, tribals et al. It will create jobs for unemployed youth,” he added.
Attacking Ms Banerjee for the flyover crash, he said she did not want politics over it.
“But this bridge is a symbol (of all that is wrong in her government). People had voted her to power hoping she would deliver. There had been no progress in the construction work of this flyover for the past five years. Moreover, her party got a sub-contract to build it. When it came crashing down, her party did not suffer; those who did were common people,” he added.
Mr Gandhi tarred Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ms Banerjee with the same brush and accused them of trying to crush democracy and dissent.
“Modiji is trying to crush democracy in the country. He wants to impose one man’s rule in the country. What he is doing in the country, Mamataji is emulating in the state,” he said, adding that everyone would be free to express his opinion in Left-Congress rule.
Hinting at an understanding between Mr Modi and Ms Banerjee he said, “Modiji removed the Uttarakhand government citing a sting operation and corruption, but he remained silent even when TMC leaders were caught on camera taking money.”
