Siliguri/West Bengal: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told a West Bengal audience on Sunday that Bengal must show the way for India, standing united against hatred. Addressing a gathering amid his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Siliguri, he said that it is the people of Bengal’s responsibility to stand united against hatred.
The local administration did not give Gandhi permission to attend public meetings there, and therefore, he addressed his audience from his vehicle.
He did not mention Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, even after the latest Bihar twists, or Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.
At Silguri, Gandhi was accompanied by senior party leaders Jairam Ramesh, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and Deepa Dasmunsi, who all spoke there.
When TMC chose not to take part in the Yatra, CPI(M) West Bengal joined Gandhi. This is when all three are allies in the INDIA bloc. Supporters of the Left party joined the Congress rally with red flags and announced their support.
CPI(M) state secretary Jibesh Sarkar said that they are giving full support to Nyay Yatra. He said that they would participate in the Yatra if TMC does not join and added that they joined to pay solidarity to Rahul Gandhi and fight the BJP.
The West Bengal leg of the Yatra started in Cooch Behar on January 25. Participants had faced protests from TMC supporters there.
The relations between Congress and TMC have been put under strain in recent days. When TMC decided to contest independently in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls, the party stated that the disagreement mainly stemmed from seat sharing as proposed by them and Congress chief in the state, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, is turning the tie between the two parties sour.
Further, Chowdhury alleged that TMC workers tore off posters Yatra posters in Cooch Behar.