‘Don’t compare yourself with…’: Adhir targets Mamata again, says corruption has happened in Bengal
West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Choudhary has once again targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over corruption in the state. During a press conference, the Congress leader said Mamata Banerjee should not compare herself with Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren, who have been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in separate corruption cases.
The TMC has come under fire for its leaders’ alleged involvement in teacher recruitment and PDS scams, and land-grabbing in Sandeskhali, Basirhat.
The Congress and TMC are part of the INDIA bloc, but they could not agree on an alliance for Bengal over seat-sharing. The TMC blamed Adhir Choudhary for the breakdown in the alliance because he kept attacking Mamata Banerjee. The Congress’ state unit has always accused the TMC of weaning away its leaders and sees Mamata’s party as the principal reason for its decimation in Bengal.
TMC’s Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien in January said the INDIA alliance had two main detractors – “BJP and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury”. Derek said Chowdhury was speaking “the language of the BJP”. “The three reasons for the alliance not working in Bengal – Adhir Chowdhury, Adhir Chowdhury, and Adhir Chowdhury.”
“Scams have happened in West Bengal and their investigation is being done under the supervision of the Supreme Court,” Adhir said while responding to a question on actions by central agencies against the opposition leaders.
Adhir Ranjan, who is blamed for the break-up of the alliance in Bengal, said corruption cases in the state have been unearthed following the directions of the court. “It would be better if Mamata Banerjee does not compare herself with Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren,” he said, adding people know what happened with “Kejriwal and Soren and Mamata Banerjee and her Khokha Babu”.
The Congress leader said the corruption has happened in Bengal and probes are going on under the supervision of the courts.
