By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Wednesday called for immediate assembly polls in West Bengal, saying the Left Front government had lost the right to continue in power after a series of electoral debacles.
“We congratulate the people of Bengal. It is the victory of Bengal’s Maa, Mati, Manush (mother, land and people – Banerjee’s campaign slogan). The state government has lost all right to be in power and assembly elections should be held immediately,” Banerjee told mediapersons here.
She reiterated her oft-repeated stand that the state should go to the hustings in October when polls are due in several states.
“I never back out from my word. Many states are going for polls in October. So along with them, we can also go for polls,” said Banerjee, who is also the railway minister. The West Bengal assembly polls are due next year.
“The message is loud and clear. People have voted in favour of change and against the CPI-M,” she said. “We have done much better than what we did in the Lok Sabha elections,” said Banerjee.
“We are in UPA-2 due to our commitment to the people. We respect Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh). We will maintain our relation,” she said.
Hinting at a future alliance in the state with the Congress, she said: “All options are open. I want a grand alliance of the people.”
Dedicating her victory to the people, Banerjee claimed that her party would form the board in 50 municipalities out of the 80 (as also the Kolkata Municipal Corporation) that went to the polls.
She said the verdict given by the people was “revolutionary”, as it would pave the way for ushering in political change in the state after over three decades. The Left Front has been in power without a break since 1977.
The Trinamool swept the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) by decimating the Left Front – which has run the board since 2005 – and also came up with an impressive showing in the municipalities of various districts.