Mamata's statement confirms our rise in Bengal: BJP

Kolkata: Taking a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement that Left parties are not "untouchable" for her, the BJP today said her views corroborates the saffron surge in the state.

"She has admitted and her statement endorses the fact that BJP is rising in Bengal. Actually, she is scared of BJP gaining momentum in the state, well aware that her votebank and appeasement politics won't be able to help her win the next Assembly polls," BJP National Secretary Siddharth Nath Singh told PTI.

"So she is sending feelers to her adversaries against whom she had herself fought in 2011," Mr Singh said.

Yesterday in a television interview, Ms Banerjee was asked whether she was willing to have an alliance with the Left parties, thus evoking the reply, "We can hold talks with them, there is no problem in talking."

"She is saying this now but I had told the same thing long back that Trinamool, Left and Congress will join hands to halt us in Bengal. But let me tell you, it won't come in aid of Banerjee this time. Even she herself now confirms that we are inching closer to be a formidable political force," BJP state president Rahul Sinha said.

Yesterday, while talking on the Lalu-Nitish tie-up to stop BJP in Bihar, Ms Banerjee had said, "If such a situation arose in Bengal, we will think over it. I still think nobody is untouchable. We had tie-up with SUCI once. We also had tie-up with some other smaller parties. If anybody comes forward, we can talk. In a democracy, nobody should shut the door for talks. No option should be closed."

But when asked if she was ready to join hands with CPI-M, Ms Banerjee, however, hastened to add, "I did not say that. I only said if any proposal comes, we will discuss within our party."