West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday appealed to Left Front supporters not to vote for TMC candidates in order to defeat the divisive BJP in West Bengal. She thanked the Left minded people in the state for coming out with the ”no vote to BJP” campaign.

Banerjee is facing one of the most difficult political challenges of her life. She is facing a stiff challenge from BJP in the coming state poll after helming West Bengal for a decade. It is imperative for the sake of the state to stop BJP from coming to power in Bengal. I would like to thank my Left minded friends for coming out with the no vote to BJP campaign.

”At the same time I would like to tell them that since the Left cannot come to power, its supporters should not waste their votes by casting it in favour of LF. ”Instead the LF supporters should vote for TMC to defeat the BJP, Banerjee told reporters while releasing her party's election manifesto.

Her comments come in the backdrop of several TMC leaders openly asking the Left parties to come out in support of TMC to stop the saffron party’s march in the state. The CPI-M led Left Front has rejected the appeal and blamed the ruling TMC for the rise of the saffron camp in West Bengal.

Unfortunately, Bengal is now witnessing a threat from outsiders who want to foster a divisive mentality and disrupt harmony. It is imperative for us to avert this threat. I promise that I will stand by each and every person of Bengal across all communities to protect their fundamental rights, she said. I will be forever indebted to my motherland. Being a daughter of Bengal I have dedicated my whole life for the state, Banerjee added.

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She called BJP a political virus and slammed the Centre for trying to destroy the federal fabric of the state. Arvind Kejriwal's AAP is running an elected government in Delhi. Yet the Centre is trying to give more powers to the Lt Governor, who is nominated. We condemn such actions, she added.

First Published:Mar 18, 2021 11:11 AM IST