As 30 Assembly seats in West Bengal visited the polls on Saturday within the first phase, the BJP released an audio clip during which an individual that the party claims is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is heard seeking help from a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker now with the BJP. The caller is heard asking the BJP leader to support her in Nandigram.
The TMC said the tape wasn’t verified but added that if true there was nothing wrong with Banerjee approaching a former party liner . The India Aware didn’t independently verify the content of the audio clip and will not confirm its authenticity.
Banerjee is contesting the election from the seat in Purba Medinipur district against her former associate Suvendu Adhikari, who joined the BJP last December. The BJP’s Nandigram vice-president Pralay Pal, an in depth aide of Adhikari, said he received the decision from the TMC chief.
“Ebare amader ektu sahajjo kore dao na, dekhbe kono osubidhe hobe na [Help us a touch this point , you’ll not face problems],” a lady that the BJP claims is Banerjee is heard telling Pal.
The BJP leader then tells her that it had been unfortunate that he didn’t “get a residential certificate”, to which she replies, “Eta ke korechilo tumi jano. Tomader local je leader chilo se amake Nandigram e jete dito na. Ebong se amake Nandigram e dhukte dito na. Sara Midnapore e dhukte dito na, tader ekta jomidari cholche. Tumi toh jano shob e bhai. [You know alright who did this. Your local leader didn’t let me attend Nandigram, even i used to be not allowed to enter Midnapore. they’re running a zamindari. you recognize everything, brother].”
Pal, however, tells the caller he has left the TMC and can’t betray the BJP. the lady alleged to be the TMC chief then tells him, “Jader jonno korcho tara toh konodin BJP koreni. Jara ekhon korche tader ke tumi biswas koro je tara manusher kaaj korche? [Those you’re working for haven’t belonged to the BJP. does one believe that those that are working for the party now are working for the people?].”
