Congress suffers from identity crisis: Mamata Banerjee

KULTI (WEST BENGAL): Targeting the CPI(M)-Congress alliance in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress supremo and state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said Congress suffered from an identity crisis while the Marxist party did nothing during its 34-year rule.

She appealed to voters to reject both as well as the BJP, which she described as a party given to causing riots and creating differences among people, so that her party could continue the develpment work.

Banerjee said the Marxists, which failed to bring any development to the state, was day-dreaming about returning to power.

"But this will not happen and its ally Congress will be reduced to a signboard," she observed mockingly.

Continuing her campaign in the industrial belt of Burdwan district, Banerjee promised to make Asansol a new industrial district by bifurcating the Burdwan district for administrative convenience and to boost development in the area.

"The new industrial district of Asansol will cover areas like Asansol, Raniganj, Baraboni, Pandabeswar, Kulti and Durgapur. The governement will launch new development programmes there," Banerjee said.

"Since the entire area is dry, it needs a major drinking water project. The project was undertaken, but had to be stopped following the Centre's discontinuation of funds under the JNNURM scheme," Banerjee said, adding that her government would take up this scheme once again.

"People want development. The erstwhile Left Front government failed to do any work for them. Instead the CPI(M) accumulated its own wealth. People will give a fitting reply," she said.