'Mamata senior-most leader': TMC's Abhishek Banerjee pushes for Bengal CM's bid to lead I.N.D.I.A. bloc

New Delhi: Wading into the controversy over I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s leadership question, Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday insisted on “senior-most” Mamata Banerjee’s suitability for the post while he appeared to take a potshot on the Congress over its stand on Electronic Voting Machines.

His comments came days after National Conference leader and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that Congress cannot take the bloc’s leadership for granted and that it should not find fault with the EVMs only when it loses an election. The remarks from the leaders indicated growing discontent against Congress’ leadership.

Abhishek demanded that there should be a discussion on the leadership issue and one should not sideline Trinamool as a “small party”, as it has reduced the number of BJP MPs from West Bengal. He also said those who question EVMs should provide evidence of its discrepancies to the Election Commission as "making some statements alone would not mean anything".

The Diamond Harbour MP recalled that Mamata is a third term Chief Minister besides holding posts of a Union minister in the past, and told reporters in Parliament House, “She (Mamata) is the senior-most leader. So there should be a detailed discussion regarding this.”

“No party should be treated small. Trinamool is the only party in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc that has defeated BJP as well as Congress. This shows its strength. Undermining regional parties is incorrect. This is the mistake which both Congress and the BJP do,” he said adding, Trinamool numbers in Lok Sabha may be only 29 but it is the only party that "withstood the poaching attempts by the BJP".

On EVMs, Banerjee appeared to refer to alleged shortcomings in Congress’ election management as he said that he does not think that there is anything substantial in the allegations against EVMs if those on ground are alert during EVM randomisation, check EVMs during mock polls and review Form 17C that provides details of those who voted in every polling booth.

Banerjee was of the view, which he described as “personal”, that sceptics of EVMs should provide evidence of discrepancies to the EC. “If someone feels that the EVMs can be manipulated, they should show the EC that there is some malware or technology to hack EVMs. If they are unable to show evidence, a movement should be organised over the issue. Only making 2-3 statements regarding a matter does not mean anything,” he said.

On the ongoing trouble in Bangladesh, he said the Union government should take a strong stand on the continuous persecution of minorities in Bangladesh. Demanding a statement of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Bangladesh, he said it is a minimum courtesy every MP expects from the government

“If they do not want to do that and want to keep a population of 140 crore Indians in the dark, the people will understand the government's dilemma here. The people will understand the government's attempt to mislead them. They will give a befitting answer to it at the right time,” he said.