Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday made a surprise attack on her Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin, accusing him of being in a tacit understanding with the saffron camp.
Stalin is not only a key constituent of the anti-BJP INDIA bloc that Mamata remains associated with according to her convenience, but also has been an all-weather friend to her against the BJP.
The Trinamool Congress chief, at a rally in Nadia’s Bethuadahari, unexpectedly jabbed her DMK counterpart, as well as the Congress, specifically over the curious geography of the Election Commission's contentious logistics this poll summer.
While four states and a Union Territory are headed to the hustings, Mamata has been underscoring how the EC, which she terms "BJP stooge", has performed a wholesale extraction of only Bengal’s administrative spine, sending many of its IAS and IPS officers to Tamil Nadu.
On Monday, she said that several officers of the Bengal cadre, including those instrumental in local law enforcement and development initiatives, had been sent to Tamil Nadu as observers.
“You (the BJP) must have some internal understanding with the Congress and Stalin,” she alleged, adding that out of 510 officers removed as observers across five poll-bound territories, a staggering 500 (approximately) were drafted from Bengal alone.
"What are you thinking? Outsiders from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh will come and (conduct the) vote?" she asked. The move, she claimed, actively hampered development work back home while placing "BJP family" deputies in charge here.
The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on political watchers. While the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the BJP-led NDA battle it out in Tamil Nadu, Mamata suggested the real casualty of that contest was her strength here.
Trinamool sources said the bond between Stalin and Mamata was defined not only by mutual respect but also by a shared defence of federalism and a mutual defiance of central authority and linguistic imposition by the Sangh Parivar. Stalin has consistently stepped up as a vocal defender of Mamata on the national stage and has often coordinated with her on major issues.
Beyond policy, their relationship is marked by a personal rapport. Mamata publicly refers to Stalin as her brother and friend.
"Over the years, Stalin has positioned himself as her most dependable ally in the INDIA bloc, besides Akhilesh (Yadav). While they occasionally differ on their proximity to the Congress party, this East-South partnership remains a critical axis for regional powers, focused on protecting the constitutional autonomy of their states," said a Trinamool veteran.
"I'm sure it was a case of momentary loss of temper. She has every reason to be angry... the attack was just a little misdirected. This will not damage their bond," he added.
The Trinamool supremo asserted she would tour the country to forge Opposition unity only after winning the battle in her own backyard. “I will tour the country to stitch together Opposition unity,” she said, though Monday's needlework involved a few sharp pricks aimed directly at the DMK and the Congress.