New Delhi [India], June 11 : Amid reports of a continuous exodus from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and speculation over a possible merger of the TMC with Congress, Congress's West Bengal in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir on Thursday accused the BJP of "adopting undemocratic ways like 'vote-chori,' 'seat-chori."
The Congress leader said that regional parties must determine their own political path. He added that the way the TMC party is being targeted post-election is a "brazen display of misconduct".
Speaking to ANI on reports of a possible merger, Ahmad Mir said, "Given the atmosphere the BJP is creating in the country by adopting undemocratic ways like 'vote-chori,' 'seat-chori,' only the Congress is capable of countering them. The sooner other parties and regional parties realise this, the better... The way that party is being targeted post-election is a brazen display of misconduct... The sooner other leaders and parties grasp this, the sooner they will be able to choose their path."
Mir asserted that only Congress has the capability to effectively challenge the BJP and added that the sooner regional parties understand this reality, the better it will be for them. At the same time, he clarified that Congress does not consider any party with a secular ideology to be untouchable.
This comes after TMC MP Prakash Chik Baraik, representing West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha, has resigned from the Upper House. This is the third such resignation within a week. On June 10, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sushmita Dev resigned as a member of the Upper House. On June 8, Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned as a member of the Upper House of Parliament and from the primary membership of the TMC.
However, the recent election results in five states have boosted the morale of the Congress party, which is now looking to expand its political footprint across the country.
With assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh due next year, Congress has also adopted an assertive stance toward its alliance prospects. Congress's Uttar Pradesh in-charge, Avinash Pande, said the party has been preparing for the past two years to contest all 403 assembly seats in the state.
Meanwhile, speaking to ANI on rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination, Congress MP Tariq Anwar said, "It is clear the nominations in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh have been conducted through discrimination... Every method is being adopted to intimidate the Opposition."
The nomination of Meenakshi Natarajan, the sole Congress candidate for the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, was rejected by the Returning Officer on Tuesday.