Abhishek, Energy News, ET EnergyWorld


Pandabeswar: Coal mafias of Asansol and Durgapur have joined BJP, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee alleged on Wednesday, attacking the opposition party over the coal pilferage scam. Addressing a rally in Pandabeswar in Paschim Bardhaman district, he alleged that the BJP works like a “washing machine” as tainted leaders join the party and become clean.

“The BJP attacks TMC leaders over the coal scam in West Bengal. The CBI is harassing TMC leaders, but BJP has inducted this area’s coal mafias into the party. They are pointing fingers at us, but the fact is BJP itself is neck deep in corruption,” he alleged.

“All the thieves have joined the BJP in West Bengal. The CBI, which works on the instruction of the BJP, is busy targeting TMC leaders. Does the CBI have the courage to arrest or question BJP leaders? They would never dare,” he claimed.

Hitting back, the BJP claimed it never supports corruption while the TMC is “full of thieves and crooks”.

“We all know that several TMC leaders are behind bars in corruption cases, and many more are waiting for their turn. The BJP never supports corruption,” BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

Abhishek, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Lok Sabha MP of Diamond Harbour, was earlier questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the coal pilferage scam. The CBI has also interrogated his wife Rujira Narula Banerjee, her sister and her brother-in-law.

He was addressing the rally as part of his party’s ‘Trinamooley Nabajowar’ (new wave in Trinamool) campaign ahead of the panchayat election.

Warning party workers, he said those who will work against its interest will never get any recognition.

“No one is above party discipline, not me, not you. Even if you are not happy with the party candidate, you have to support him,” he said.

Besides addressing the rally, Banerjee led a road show in the area.

“The party has all your information. And those who think that by winning panchayat, you are free to do whatever you want, you are mistaken. I will personally review your work every three months,” he said.

Banerjee began the campaign on April 25 in the Cooch Behar district, and has covered over 2,000 km across eight districts so far.

His campaign is scheduled to end in the third week of June in Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district.

  • Published On May 18, 2023 at 07:42 AM IST

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