As the West Bengal assembly elections are approaching, the likelihood of a BJP win is increasing in the state. Mamata Bannerjee’s corruption and tyrant rule are hidden from none. However, for those few individuals who were still unconvinced of Mamata’s loss, recent events will certainly remove all doubts.
In her fear of losing the state to BJP, Mamata Bannerjee has resorted to making all sorts of strange allegations, including calling AIMIM chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, a ‘BJP man’.
The AIMIM, buoyed by their marginal success of winning five seats in the Muslim dominated Seemanchal region in the Bihar Assembly Polls have now decided to contest the West Bengal Assembly Elections, scheduled to take place in the summer of 2021. If speculations are to be trusted, Owaisi can comfortably influence more than 40 assembly seats in West Bengal, which would prove to be extremely fatal for the Trinamool Congress.
Clearly unsettled at this development, Mamata Banerjee said, “To divide the Muslim votes, the BJP is spending crores of rupees to bring in a party from Hyderabad. The plan is that BJP will eat into Hindu votes, and this Hyderabad party will eat into Muslim votes. In recent Bihar elections, they did the same thing. This party is a B-team of the BJP.”
To divide minority votes they have caught hold of a party from Hyderabad, BJP gives them money and they are dividing votes. Bihar election has proved it: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Jalpaiguri, earlier today pic.twitter.com/P9PWMVDJJh
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2020
However, in her paranoia, she has further put her foot in her mouth. Not only has she thoroughly annoyed Owaisi, washing over any hopes of an alliance, but has virtually handed the state to BJP on a platter.
Retorting back, Owaisi said, “Till date there is no man who can buy Asaduddin Owaisi with money. Her allegation is baseless and she is restless. She should worry about her own home, so many of her people are going to the BJP. She has insulted the voters of Bihar and the people who voted for us.”
An infuriated Owaisi further tweeted, “So far you’ve only dealt with obedient Mir Jaffers & Sadiqs. You don’t like Muslims who think & speak for themselves. You’ve insulted our voters in Bihar. Remember what happened to parties in Bihar that kept blaming their failures on ‘vote cutters’. Muslim voters aren’t your jagir.”
So far you’ve only dealt with obedient Mir Jaffers & Sadiqs. You don’t like Muslims who think & speak for themselves. You’ve insulted our voters in Bihar. Remember what happened to parties in Bihar that kept blaming their failures on “vote cutters”
Muslim voters aren’t your jagir https://t.co/CFTfkXe9hu— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) December 16, 2020
Owaisi’s reaction is certainly unfortunate for Mamata Bannerjee, considering at one point of time he was contemplating an alliance with the TMC Supremo. According to reports, Owaisi had told Mamata Banerjee, that if she agrees to a pre-poll alliance with him, he will help her defeat BJP.
With this, Mamata Bannerjee has certainly lost any chances of that happening.
To be fair, the TMC supremo has become very scared due to the increasing influence of Asaduddin Owaisi amongst her targeted voters. She has, for long, played appeasement politics to gain control of the state. The Muslims make up nearly 30% of the voters in the state, a voter base Mamata has always usurped. Her penchant of handing out favours to certain influential sects has always helped turn the tables in her favour, but now, with Owaisi’s rising influence in West Bengal since the Bihar assembly elections, Mamata’s vote bank politics is threatened.
BJP’s popularity amongst the Hindu voters is hidden from none, and with Owaisi’s entry in the fray, the Muslim voters too won’t give Mamata the time of their day. Having an alliance with AIMIM was her one glimmer of hope. However, with her inability to exercise tactic restraint and a false sense of bravado, Mamata has effectively washed over that hope.