Kolkata, May 7 (IANS) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday met Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and extended support to her following the party’s crushing defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, while launching a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the conduct of the polls and the post-election situation in the state.
The meeting took place at Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, where Yadav also met TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. On his arrival, the Samajwadi Party chief greeted Mamata Banerjee by draping a shawl around her neck and said, “Didi, you have not lost,” praising her political struggle and resilience amid the BJP’s sweeping victory that ended the TMC’s 15-year rule in West Bengal.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Yadav said he had closely observed the Bengal elections because of the language and behaviour displayed by the BJP during the campaign.
“We all saw the election. I was watching it very closely because of the way the Bengal election was going to take place, the language used, and the behaviour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In the past, whatever the BJP has done in Bengal, they did less in Uttar Pradesh, but they did the trial there,” he said.
The SP chief accused the BJP of creating an atmosphere of fear and chaos during and after the elections. “BJP works in a way that spreads chaos. It was assured that numerous companies would remain here and manage the security arrangements even after the election. Where are those companies now?” he asked, referring to the deployment of central security forces during the polls.
Yadav also alleged misuse of the administrative machinery and selective posting of officers during the elections. “What happened in West Bengal, can you imagine that 3 lakh central forces would be sent? Officers were posted selectively. It has also been heard that officers were told, ‘Ensure victory in the elections and we will give you good positions’,” he claimed.
Praising Mamata Banerjee’s political fighting spirit, Yadav said the BJP sees her as a major challenge because she represents women and is a strong voice against them. “Mamata Banerjee is a fighter and is not someone who will lose hope. She bothers the Bharatiya Janata Party because she represents half the population,” he remarked.
Calling for opposition unity, the SP chief said democratic forces across the country must come together. “The effort will be that everyone works together because democracy has to be saved. They want to destroy democracy and take away our right to vote,” he said.
The developments come amid heightened political tension in West Bengal, where the transition of power following the BJP’s landmark electoral victory continues to remain politically charged.
–IANS
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