27 Apr : Addressing a meeting together for the first time in eight years, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked the people of West Bengal to support nominees of their parties’ alliance for the betterment of the country.
"I urge you to vote for the nominees of the Congress and Trinamool Congress since a Congress-led government at the Centre alone can provide a stable, strong and secular government," Gandhi told a joint election rally at this border town amidst cheers from workers of the two parties.
"After serious thinking, you should vote courageously and give your mandate in favour of Congress and Trinamool Congress candidates. I also hope you will overwhelmingly support both," Gandhi said.
The crowd cheered loudly when Gandhi appeared on the dais and asked Mamata Banerjee to sit beside her.
Banerjee said that the alliance would ensure defeat of the CPI(M)-led Left Front in the Lok Sabha elections, alleging "CPI(M) lies to the people and deny voting rights through means of terror".
She also alleged that power situation in the district was dismal.
"We are hopeful that the alliance will one day remove the CPI(M) from West Bengal, as this party has failed to tackle unemployment problem, women trafficking as also the problem of hunger," Banerjee alleged.