Mamata Banerjee attacks TMC defectors, says BJP collecting its garbage

Even as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) lags behind other political parties in more than 50% civic bodies in the aftermath of the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, party supremo Mamata Banerjee sounded the bugle for the 2020 civic body polls on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, BJP Bengal president Mukul Roy on Tuesday welcomed the TMC leaders who had joined the BJP and said that Banerjee should be ready for more jolts in the coming days. Roy said the TMC had lost badly in the municipal phases and as much as Banerjee might try to show that she is not disturbed by this, it will matter in the days to come.

On Tuesday, Banerjee held a meeting with close to 3,000 corporators and councillors from several municipalities across the state, where she sent out a stern message that those who take 'money cuts' and 'commission' will not be spared.

"Even if they wish to leave the party, they must do it right away. I'm witnessing a new trend, where once you conduct an audit and if someone is found to be at fault, they switch parties. No matter how many parties you switch, you will not be spared. You will be booked. If someone wants to leave the party, please leave now. We do not leave them," Banerjee said. She added that the defectors who had switched to BJP were "greedy and corrupt" and that the saffron party was "collecting its garbage".

"One person will leave and 500 more will be inducted in his or her place. We want to restructure our party and replace corrupt and greedy workers with dedicated cadres," she claimed.

The party recently faced a major setback when five municipal bodies governed by the TMC were taken over by BJP as corporators and councillors joined the BJP in Delhi at the party headquarters.

(with inputs from agencies)