TMC leaders targeted soon after bypoll dates announced, says Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP of using central agencies to target Trinamool Congress leaders pursuing its vendetta politics, as soon as the assembly by-poll dates were announced. The TMC supremo, who started her poll campaign for the Bhabanipur by-election, also alleged that the saffron party is targeting party general secretary and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee for political reasons, claiming there is no valid case against him.

Abhishek Banerjee was questioned for about nine hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Monday in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal pilferage scam in West Bengal.

"We only know how we fought against all odds to win the assembly polls. The BJP brought in goons from other states during the assembly elections. I had to contest this by-poll as a conspiracy was hatched against me (in Nandigram)," she said while addressing a workers' meet here.


Banerjee was defeated by the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari from the Nandigram seat in the assembly elections held earlier this year. She needs to win the by-poll to continue as chief minister.

"The BJP is pursuing vendetta politics and is targeting Abhishek Banerjee.... As soon as by-poll dates are announced, TMC leaders are being summoned by (central) agencies," she said.

Meanwhile, Banerjee also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure that Covaxin is recognised by it, so that those who availed that vaccine against Covid-19 can travel abroad.