Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Tuesday and praised her for countering the “onslaught of the BJP” and declared his party’s support in her fight.
“If anyone in the entire country is taking on the BJP, it is Mamata Banerjee,” Akhilesh said after an hour-long meeting with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
“CM Mamata Banerjee is being harassed under the pretext of SIR [Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls]. We are confident that the people of Bengal have a deep emotional bond with their chief minister, and that she will become chief minister again. The BJP is fighting a battle to lose with dignity, but the people here will defeat them decisively,” he said.
Akhilesh was in Kolkata to attend a wedding and was accompanied by his wife Dimple.
“SIR has been brought in only to target West Bengal. For the first time, it has been seen that the Election Commission and the BJP are carrying out NRC [National Register of Citizens] in the name of SIR. Their objective is to delete as many voters as possible. Many people were forced to prove their citizenship,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister added.
He also attacked the BJP, saying the party was “playing with secularism”. “In Uttar Pradesh, more votes were deleted than in Bengal. Bengal is a cultural unit, not just a political unit. People here listen to Rabindra Sangeet, not songs of hatred. Those who try to divide will not succeed; those who spread sweetness will win,” he said.
Akhilesh also referred to the controversial Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches on premises linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC, including the residence of its director, Prateek Jain.
“I congratulate Didi for her courage in responsibly fighting for the people. The agencies are an organisation of the BJP. Maharashtra was won using the ED and CBI. I am happy that Didi has defeated ED,” he said.
Banerjee also praised Akhilesh, saying , “Akhilesh and Kiran da [senior SP leader Kiranmoy Nanda] met me. He (Akhilesh) is doing very good work. My best wishes are with him.”
Akhilesh prayed at the Kalighat temple before meeting Banerjee, who welcomed him and Nanda with the traditional ‘Uttoriyo’.