Giving a new poll slogan of ‘Khel Zatlo’ in Goa, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said an anti-BJP alliance has already taken shape in the coastal State under the banner of her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) and now it is for the Congress to decide whether it wants to join the grouping ahead of elections to take on the BJP.
Addressing a public meeting at Benaulim in South Goa, Ms. Banerjee said the TMC will not allow the ruling BJP to win the elections in Goa, due in early 2022, this time.
At a separate event, Ms. Banerjee, who is on a two-day visit to the State, said there will be “Khel Zatlo” in Goa (’Zatlo’ is a Konkani term to mean ‘will happen’). She had earlier raised the ‘Khela Hobe' (game is on) slogan during the West Bengal Assembly poll campaign earlier this year.
At the public meeting, she said the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has already joined her anti-BJP alliance and now the NCP’s lone MLA in the State, Churchill Alemao, has merged the party’s state legislative unit with the TMC.
“If the Congress thinks they want to defeat the BJP, we have no objection. We already have the MGP on board. If you want to join, join us. We have already formed the alliance,” the Bengal CM said after inducting Mr. Alemao into her party.
Alternative to BJP
Talking about the anti-BJP alliance, Ms. Banerjee, who is also the chairperson of the TMC, claimed her party has already become an alternative to the BJP in the State.
“The MGP has joined the alliance, the NCP has merged its legislature unit (with TMC). If anyone wants not to divide votes, come and join us,” she said in a message directed at the Congress.
Seeking to strike a chord with the Christian community, which has a sizeable presence in Goa, Ms. Banerjee said she has been attending Christmas midnight masses since the last 20 years without a break.
“After our government was formed, we celebrate Christmas in Kolkata in a big way. I am going to inaugurate a function (on occasion of the upcoming festival) on 20th of this month,” she said.
She also spoke out her closeness to Mother Teresa due to which she said she was even invited to the Vatican.
Earlier, while addressing local TMC leaders, she said her party has entered the poll fray not to control the State, but to use its experience to help Goans.
