BJP WB unit criticises Union Minister Babul Supriyo for bonhomie with Mamata Banerjee

Criticising Babul Supriyo's attempts at bonhomie with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP state unit on Sunday said the Union Minister's "jhalmuri diploamcy" will not work when party workers are being attacked everyday by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

"The Centre-State relation is a different issue in a democracy. But it doesn't absolve TMC of the terror that they have unleashed on our BJP workers throughout the state. Our ideology and TMC's ideology are different and there can be no compromise with them," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh told PTI. "The Jhalmuri diplomacy will not work in Bengal. And the E=MC2 stands for E=energy, M=murder and C=corruption," claimed Singh, who is also the BJP state in charge.

Singh's comment comes in the backdrop of Supriyo praising Banerjee saying "You all know about E=MC2 theory. For me, E stands for energy, C stands for coal and M stands for Mamata di." Supriyo, a singer-turned-BJP MP from Bengal and Minister of State for Urban Development, had shared some light moments with Banerjee during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the state and showered praise on her on Friday during a programme attended by Coal Minister Piyush Goyal.

The Asansol MP had reportedly shared 'jhalmuri' - a popular Bengali snack made of puffed rice - with Banerjee on way to Raj Bhavan in a car after a programme where Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three mega social security schemes. Supriyo's praise of Banerjee had led to actress-turned BJP leader Rupa Ganguly lashing out against him yesterday. "Being a minister means that he has to say good things ...

But while moving around in the same car with Mamata Banerjee and having snacks, he should not forget the pangs of BJP workers, the torture perpetuated on them. We, the BJP workers, are living with dishonour and pain in Bengal." "My request to Babul is that you should remember our pain and take our calls. I would like to tell him that he could have asked why her party men are beating up BJP activists across the state," she said.

Ganguly's attack on Supriyo followed allegations levelled by CPI(M) and Congress that Banerjee's sharing of dais with Modi at Burnpur was the result of an understanding between BJP and TMC that CBI would go slow on the Saradha scam probe and the latter would help BJP in passing of bills in Rajya Sabha where the saffron party does not have majority.