In his first Bengal rally, Rahul Gandhi attacks Mamata, BJP

NEW DELHI: After avoiding campaigning in West Bengal so far, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked both BJP and Mamata Banerjee-led TMC in his first rally in the state.
"BJP wants to destroy and divide Bengal, they are doing same thing in Assam and Tamil Nadu," said Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Goalpokhor.
The former Congress president also mocked BJP's slogan of building "Sonar Bangla" and said the party "sells the same dream in every state".
"In every state, they say similar things like Sonar Bangla. But, they only offer dividing people on the basis of religion, caste and language," the Congress leader said.
While Mamata is fighting tooth and nail with the BJP this time, Rahul attacked Mamata Banerjee for allying with the BJP in the past, saying this is not something that he or his party has ever done.
"We have never aligned with BJP, but Mamataji had done it (in past)," said Rahul Gandhi.
Mamata Banerjee was part of the NDA in the Atal Bihari years and was allotted the portfolio of railways by the BJP-led government then.
"You gave opportunity to TMC. But, they failed. People of the state have to venture out in search of jobs. This is the only state where you have to pay cut money to get jobs" said Rahul.
Rahul’s decision to stay away from Bengal so far was interpreted as a desire to duck political contradictions that Congress is straddling across states — while Congress is in an alliance with CPM in West Bengal, the Left is its principal rival in Kerala.
While Congress bowed to the sentiment of its West Bengal unit to tie up with CPM against the ruling TMC, it has faced pressure from other opposition parties that Mamata Banerjee should be supported in her high-stakes fight with BJP.