“Grandmama Can’t Tell 22-Year-Old…”: Derek O’Brien’s Dig At Congress

New Delhi:

In a 4-0 clear sweep in bypolls in Bengal, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress snatched two seats from the BJP on Tuesday, steamrolling the celebration for the second time this 12 months within the state. The Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien, in an interview to NDTV, mentioned the massive message from the nationwide bypolls is that “past Bengal, the BJP is beatable”. He additionally mentioned the “time is gone the place a 23-year-old (Trinamool) is instructed by a 100-year-old grandmamma and grandpapa what to do”, in a pointy memo for the Congress with out naming it.

“The BJP must be defeated… The mindset has to alter… that we’re equal companions within the opposition. Simply because we’re 22 or 23-year-old TMC (Trinamool Congress) and anyone else is 100-year-old… Grandmamma and granddaddy can’t inform a 22-year-old energetic celebration, able to tackle (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (Amit) Shah… we’re youthful and energetic and we need to take the BJP on. Let’s work on this, slightly than speak down on us,” Derek O’Brien instructed NDTV, with out naming the Congress.

“We have now the eagerness, the vitality to take the BJP on. Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool has been doing this persistently…”

He identified that within the Bengal election earlier this 12 months, the Trinamool fought 294 seats and the Congress and CPM collectively fought on their very own and “received zero seats”.

Based on the outcomes of the bypolls held on October 30, the Trinamool wrested two meeting seats from the BJP- Dinhata and Santipur- by large margins and retained the Khardah and Gosaba meeting seats.

The BJP’s candidates misplaced their deposits in three constituencies.

“Past Bengal, I believe the message is that the BJP, Modi and Shah are beatable,” Mr O’Brien mentioned.

“There are points we aren’t speaking about- take a look at the economic system, take a look at the roles, freedom of expression… These points want to return to the fore and we must always spend much less time speaking about opposition unity. Opposition unity is one other chapter- it’s extra essential for the opposition to deliver these points to the fore.”

He additionally spoke on the Trinamool’s aggressive push in different states moreover Bengal and added: “Our easy message in Goa and Tripura is that we aren’t right here for the dash, however for the long term.”

The Trinamool Congress chief referred to the BJP’s setback in Himachal Pradesh, the place its rival Congress swept the three meeting and one Lok Sabha seat that voted on Saturday, and the Shiv Sena profitable its first Lok Sabha seat exterior Maharashtra, in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

“We’re additionally excited by the Shiv Sena profitable the Lok Sabha eat. The BJP couldn’t maintain on to its seat in Himachal… All in all, it was a reasonably unhealthy day for the BJP however we have to maintain this momentum going,” the Trinamool Rajya Sabha member mentioned.

He additionally rattled off smaller insights from Tuesday’s bypoll results- two BJP and two Trinamool seats in Might is now 4 to zero and the Trinamool’s margins are large, going as much as 1.5 lakh votes.

He additionally jibed that “the Left and the BJP are going hammer and tongs for the second and third spot” and that “Mr Shah isn’t coming to Bengal in a rush.”

“The opposite studying could possibly be that there aren’t any firecrackers this Diwali. So Joyful Diwali to all people within the BJP. Might they’ve a contented and quiet Diwali,” Mr O’Brien chuckled.

He took one other shot on the BJP on the subject of the reverse migration from the BJP of Trinamool leaders who had joined the celebration earlier than the Bengal election earlier this 12 months and are scrambling to return after Mamata Banerjee’s victory.

“On a extra severe be aware… the BJP has been operating a divisive marketing campaign however it’s properly on its method to imploding in Bengal… However the gates of the Trinamool usually are not simply open gates the place individuals can simply stroll in. If of us want to be a part of the TMC, they should put in good hours of penance, and by that I imply good work for individuals, earlier than they are often welcomed again.

The BJP had received 77 of the 292 seats in Bengal within the April-Might meeting election. The Trinamool Congress had received 213 seats. The Trinamool’s tally has now gone as much as 217 seats and the BJP’s is all the way down to 75.