The divide within the Opposition ranks is not restricted to Assembly elections and seat-sharing agreements. Fresh differences appear to have cropped up between the Congress-led INDIA Bloc and Trinamool Congress (TMC), one of its key constituents over the Adani indictment claims in the United States.
Breaking ranks with the Congress party, as the latter keeps up the pressure for immediate discussion in Parliament on the Adani issue, Trinamool has gone clear on its stand – 'Bengal supersedes all issues'.
Trinamool national secretary Abhishek Banerjee, speaking to newsmen, spelt out the party's stance, saying "Our stand is very clear, we will give priority to issues of Bengal first. People of the state have elected us to fight for them."
He further said that the Trinamool wants the House to function so that people's issues could be raised and discussed in the House.
This is a clear departure from the Congress party's stand which has been cornering and lambasting the Centre over Adani row, inside and outside the House.
As the Winter Session began on November 25, the Congress members have been repeatedly giving adjournment notices in both houses to suspend all businesses and rather hold discussion on the alleged Adani group indictment. Though Parliament witnessed chaos and pandemonium, other Opposition parties also wanted a discussion on issues like the Sambhal mosque survey and the fresh spurt in Manipur violence.
Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee further said that Bengal has suffered a lot due to the 'step-motherly' treatment and his party favors the functioning of the Parliament so that it could press the Centre for releasing 'outstanding dues'.
"Bengal has been deprived of outstanding dues for years, with the amount now soaring to about Rs 2 lakh crore. Even GST devolutions haven't been released yet. We will stick to issues specific to West Bengal," said Banerjee, when asked about the Opposition's strategy in the Winter Session.
While Trinamool has clearly made its stand and, no bones about sharing its 'displeasure' with Congress over raising issues in the House, Congress appears to have been left aloof and isolated once again from building a chorus against the government.
Yesterday, Trinmool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar also unveiled the party's strategy of cornering the BJP.
"We want Parliament to run. We do not want to disrupt the House over just one issue. We will hold this government accountable on multiple counts," Trinamool LS MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar told the newsmen.
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