Kolkata, June 15: Senior leader of the Samajwadi Party, Kiranmay Nanda, criticized former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday. He attributed his party’s electoral defeat to the performance record of the Mamata government and its politics of religious appeasement.
Discussing the state of opposition politics and the India Block, Nanda stated that the opposition alliance exists mostly on paper, lacking any solid coordination on the ground. He pointed out that many parties within the alliance are contesting elections against each other in various states.
Nanda questioned, “Is the India Block truly a political agreement made on paper? If the parties claiming to be allies are fighting against each other in elections, where is the actual alliance?”
He raised concerns about the effectiveness of the opposition group, highlighting the absence of any coalition among India Block allies in states like West Bengal and Kerala.
He remarked, “Was there any coalition in Bengal? No. Was there any coalition in Kerala? No. In reality, there is no genuine alliance among many of these parties at the state level.”
Targeting the previous Trinamool government, Nanda claimed that public discontent with the administration was evident in the BJP’s electoral gains.
He stated, “The performance during the previous government’s 15-year tenure was not good; it was poor. The BJP winning 208 seats was a direct result of the people’s anger against Mamata Banerjee’s government.”
Nanda accused the former Chief Minister of initiating religion-based politics in the state, a strategy that ultimately backfired on her.
He said, “Traditionally, there was no religion-based politics in Bengal. It was Mamata Banerjee who started this in the state, and ultimately it became a burden for her.”
The seasoned socialist leader also dismissed the notion that caste politics plays a decisive role in West Bengal’s electoral landscape.
He noted, “Caste politics does not exist in Bengal. Voting patterns here are primarily determined by the mood of the people. In this regard, Bengal has historically been different from many other states.”
Commenting on the growing trend of political leaders switching parties, Nanda deemed it detrimental to democratic values, even though it is permitted under the current legal framework. He stated, “Frequent party switching is dangerous for democracy, although such activities are legally valid under anti-defection laws and the existing political system.”
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