West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee makes big statement after BJP sweeps Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said if there is proper consensus on seat sharing among anti-BJP parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party will not be able to retain power at the Centre.

On the BJP's win in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, she said there was nothing to rejoice for the saffron party as the vote margins were slim.

Speaking at the West Bengal assembly, Banerjee said the BJP won more seats than the Congress in Rajasthan because of a split in votes among opponents.

''It's not the people's defeat, it's the Congress' defeat. (They) lost for wrong policies. A party had sought six seats. If they were given at least three seats, this problem would not have happened. BJP won at least 70 seats for no seat-sharing there,'' Banerjee told the West Bengal assembly.

The Trinamool Congress supremo further said, ''I was looking at the results. In the election, Congress got around 39 percent of the votes and they (BJP) received 42 percent. Of the total vote share, 12 percent was split among allies of the Congress.'' 

Without taking any name, Banerjee questioned the policies of the Congress. ''Just campaigning is not enough. Advertising alone will not be enough. Strategy is needed along with ideals. You have to work in the fields,'' she said.

On whether the BJP's victory run will continue till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Banerjee said, ''Lessons should be learned from examples. A strategy has to be finalised. I think the BJP won't come to power if seat-sharing is finalised. The INDIA alliance will work together.'' She, however, congratulated the BJP for its victory in the three states and hinted that the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were ''jointly helping'' the saffron party to win the elections.

''I will congratulate anyone who wins. But in these elections, there is agency pollution. All agencies work for them (BJP),'' she said.

The BJP swept Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh on Sunday inflicting a resounding defeat on the Congress to tighten its stranglehold in the Hindi heartland.

Banerjee further said this victory of the saffron party was because of split voting. ''This (win) is due to the wrong policies of some smaller parties,'' she added.