TMC-BJD understanding based on 'common bonding of corruption': BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that the understanding reached between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik during their meeting was based on a 'common bonding of corruption' while highlighting the Saradha chit-fund scam.

BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the primary aim of the meeting between the duo was to develop mutual cooperation to deal with the chit-fund scam investigations.

"Primary reason of @MamataOfficial visit to Odisha was to meet 2 TMC MPs who are involved in Chit-fund Scam & are lodged in Bhubaneswar Jail," Pradhan tweeted.

Pradhan also hinted towards the speculations revolving around the meeting focussing on forming a grand alliance with the Congress in Odisha.

"News is that BJD assured @MamataOfficial to positively consider her proposal for a Grand Alliance in Odisha with Congress as the 3rd partner," he said.

Earlier today, Mamata met Patnaik in Odisha and claimed that the BJP is not a threat as even the regional parties are enough to tackle it.

Accusing the BJP of playing politics of division, Mamata said the saffron party also resorts to buying the minister and MLAs of other parties.

"They divide caste, parties. They divide Hindu-Muslims. They also purchase ministers, MLAs. We don't do that. We believe in unity," she told the media here.

Mamata also stated that the secular parties are always together.

Responding to a poser on having discussions on forming an alliance to stand against the BJP, Patnaik said they did not have any talks regarding the same.

"We had no such discussions today," Patnaik said.

Where the South saw the meeting of two state Chief Ministers, the national capital witnessed the meeting between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Congress vice-president Sonia Gandhi.

Nitish has been calling for the formation of grand alliance of secular parties at national level to take on the BJP. The same is believed to have been raised in the meeting held between the duo today.

The Congress is a partner in the Bihar Government with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United).