Mamata blasts Congressmen

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 1: Trinamul Congress supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee today criticised the Congress candidates of Malda district for projecting photographs of the late ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury in election campaigns to garner support from voters.Addressing an election rally at English Bazaar town today, she said Congress leaders have been begging votes from the people, showing a dead man, which is unethical. “We would never project a dead man in election campaigns. It is the duty of the Congress leaders to pay homage to the late leader, instead of making him an election material after death.”“Barkatda wanted a grand alliance but his demise prevented us from doing so,” she said, adding that the Trinamul Congress would fulfil his dream in future.Criticising Congress leaders, she said: “They are paying him artificial respect after his death. It was strange that no Congress leader turned up to take the ailing leader to the nursing home from Kolkata airport. I had to take the responsibility.”No Trinamul councillors of English Bazaar Municipality were present at today’s meeting, except Mr Dulal Sarkar, councillor and Trinamul candidate for Malda seat.Ignoring the former Trinamul leader and present Congress candidate, Mr Krishnendu Choudhury, Miss Banerjee introduced the Trinamul candidate for English Bazaar, Mrs Chaitali Sarkar, to the people and said : “She has a good political background and she would not be a betrayer like others.” The Trinamul chief also criticised the two Union ministers, Mr PR Das Munshi and Mr Pranab Mukherjee, for failing to check erosion in the Malda district.Miss Banerjee also rapped the state government for not doing enough to solve the perennial problem of flood and erosion in Malda.