TMC gearing up for Goa elections 2022; eyes UP, Haryana and Gujarat next

After a thumping victory in the West Bengal assembly election, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) is now gearing up for political opportunities outside West Bengal. TMC general secretary and Mamata Banerjee's nephew  Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said the party will enter the election fray in Goa in the coming days. Addressing a public meeting in Bhabanipur, which is set for the bypolls, Banerjee asserted that only 'TMC has the courage to fight on the street and take the issues forward'.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is set to contest the Bhabanipur bypoll.  Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee also hinted that the TMC was also eyeing the national capital. He added that the upcoming poll verdict will not just be for Bhabanipur, but also for Delhi. The TMC General Secretary and the Diamond Harbour MP asserted that the party will 'bring changes' in Delhi. 

"This election is not only to vote for Mamata Banerjee. See the condition of India. There are five or six national parties but among those only TMC has the courage to fight on the street and take the issues forward. It is not just for Bhabanipur, you are giving your verdict for Delhi. People will give votes for TMC to bring changes in Delhi." said Abhishek Banerjee

TMC eyes other states 

Apart from Goa and Delhi, Abhishek Banerjee also revealed that the party is aiming at an expansion in other states like UP, Haryana and Gujarat. The Diamond Harbour MP has exuded confidence that the TMC will emerge victorious in other states where it plans to enter ascertain electoral presence. In addition, Abhishek Banerjee also informed that the party has already commenced its work in Tripura and Assam as well. Hitting out at the BJP, the TMC leader stated that his party will fight and take out the BJP.

"We have already started work in Tripura and Assam. Get ready...In the coming days, TMC is going to Goa. I will go to UP, Haryana and Gujarat. You (BJP) cannot stop us. With the image of Mamata Banerjee, we will fight and take you out of Delhi," he said. 

TMC hits out at BJP for using central agencies 

Alleging that the saffron party is intimidating its political opponents by using central agencies, Abhishek Banerjee asserted that the BJP is not able to fight the TMC politically. He revealed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent him over five notices so far. Even so, Banerjee has maintained that he will 'not bow down'. 

"BJP is not able to fight politically with TMC. So they are bringing agencies to intimidate us. They have sent me five ED notice... If they send me 50 such notices still I will not bow down my head," Banerjee added. 

Meanwhile, sources have informed that former Goa Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro will join the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday. Faleiro is expected to hold a press conference today where he may announce his departure from the grand old party. The Goa assembly elections are due early next year. Apart from the TMC, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also decided to contest the Goa assembly elections.

Bhabanipur bypoll

The Bhabanipur bypoll has been scheduled on September 30 and is being seen as a prestige battle for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is not an MLA. Earlier this year during the West Bengal Assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee was defeated by her former aide and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in the Nandigram assembly constituency. Following this, the Bhabanipur Assembly seat was vacated by the West Bengal Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay in May, making way for Mamata Banerjee to contest from Bhabanipur seat as a move to continue to hold her post. 

With ANI inputs