In fresh signs that opposition unity may not be a utopian idea, the Trinamool Congress on Friday slammed the BJP for horse trading, terming the developments in Delhi and Jharkhand as attempts by the saffron party to win the 2024 elections “from the back door”.
In its mouthpiece ‘Jago Bangla’, the party said: “Horse trading started 200 years ago by horse traders and now BJP is a master in doing that .They have almost institutionalised horse trading. Rajasthan, Maharashtra incidents show how they are working on it. Jharkhand MLAs were caught in Bengal, but the BJP is still shameless. Now they are eyeing Delhi, trying to buy AAP MLAs. AAP MLAs say the horse trading budget in Rs 800 crore. BJP will not win 2024 and that’s why they are trying from back door.”
In Jharkhand, Congress MLA Kumar Jaimangal had accused Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma of playing a major role in the horse trading of MLAs to topple the JMM-Congress coalition government. After Jharkhand MLAs were arrested with money in Bengal, a probe by the Bengal CID pointed to a link between Congress MLAs and Sarma, though the Assam CM denied the charges.
Similarly, the AAP had a stressful time this week when some of its MLAs claimed the BJP is trying to lure them besides threatening them with fake cases. Four AAP lawmakers on Wednesday accused the BJP of offering them ₹20 crore each for defecting and ₹25 crore in case they convinced more legislators to follow suit as part of attempts to topple their government in Delhi.
Though the TMC is no longer seen stressing on opposition unity, a theory doing the rounds in political circles is that the BJP will not get the magic number in 2024, which will automatically result in the opposition coming together. However, a party insider was of the view that the TMC’s strong criticism over the Delhi drama shows that the party may speak to all opposition parties and try to ignite a mass movement.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has been close to his Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee though the Goa elections soured their friendship. Banerjee too was a rallying force for the Opposition till she took exception to not being included during deliberations on the President and Vice-President elections.
While it may not be an easy task, political experts believe the TMC’s attack on BJP has revived hopes of opposition unity.
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