Akhilesh Yadav backs Mamata for Bengal polls, says 'BJP wants to win by spreading hatred'

As the political heat intensifies in West Bengal months ahead of the assembly elections, Samajwadi Party has announced its support to the ruling TMC as the emergence of BJP poses a threat to the TMC in the poll-bound state.

Speaking with ANI, Samajwadi Party chief and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav said that BJP wants to win by spreading hatred hence he will support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to defeat BJP.

"We will support Mamata Banerjee in the West Bengal Assembly elections to defeat BJP who wants to win by spreading hatred. In 2017 as well, they won in Uttar Pradesh by propagating hatred," Akhilesh Yadav said.

However, the Samajwadi Party has a negligible presence in the eastern state, having merged with West Bengal Socialist Party in 2010.

Amid the mass exodus from the TMC, the party has gone all out in issuing a call for all the opposition leaders to support Mamata Banerjee in order to restrain BJP from coming to power. TMC MP Saugata Roy in the previous week gave an open invitation to the Left Front and the Congress to back Mamata Banerjee as CM candidate if they were 'truly anti-BJP'.

Meanwhile, the Left Front and Congress have decided to join hands to contest the West Bengal assembly polls and they said on Sunday that their seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bengal assembly elections will be finalised by the end January.

READ | Shiv Sena To Contest In Bengal Polls; Will Face Mamata, BJP, AIMIM & Its Ally Congress

READ | West Bengal Assembly Polls: BJP To Organise 'Paribartan Yatras' Led By Central Leaders

West Bengal elections 2021

The Legislative Assembly election for 294 seats in the State is likely to be held in May 2021. Home Minister Amit Shah who was on a visit to the State in November, had exuded confidence of winning over 200 seats in the upcoming polls, a highly ambitious figure after the party won 18 seats of the 42 seats of West Bengal in 2019 Lok Sabha election. The saffron party has emerged as the main challenger for the TMC. Moreover, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda have planned a visit to the state every month for party campaigning until the election month arrives.

While the BJP has slammed the ruling party for the political violence and the issue of law and order in the state, the TMC has retaliated back vowing to never allow "outsiders" to take control of Bengal. At present, TMC holds 222 seats and claims to get 200+ in the upcoming assembly polls, despite BJP giving a fierce competition with dozens of TMC MLAs and workers joining BJP. Raking up issues of political violence and corruption, the BJP is asking Bengal voters to bring an end to the 'dictatorship' of Mamata Banerjee and once again establish a 'Sonar Bangla'.

READ | BJP Fires Salvo On TMC's Anti-BJP Call To Congress, Left: "They Know their Defeat Is Near"

READ | TMC MP Saugata Roy Urges Left Front And Congress To Join Mamata's Fight Against BJP