TMC eyes 2019 Lok Sabha polls; aims to play 'major role' in govt formation

TMC leaders said the party will work to unite the opposition forces for the next general election

As West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee virtually leads the Opposition offensive against the Narendra Modi Government on note ban, her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday made it clear its aim is to play a 'major role' in formation of central government in 2019 and vowed not to stop despite the "vendetta politics", after its leaders faced renewed heat over chit fund scams.

Addressing the 19th Foundation Day programme of TMC in Kokata, its vice president Mukul Roy said the party will work to unite the opposition forces for the next general election.

"As our party and our supremo Mamata Banerjee had opposed the anti-people decision of demonetisation, vendetta politics will intensify in days to come. But that can't stop TMC from opposing anti-people decision," Roy said.

"We will not stop until and unless we play a decisive role in national politics in days to come. In 2019, TMC will play a major role in government formation by uniting opposition forces," the senior TMC leader said.

His statement came just days after TMC MP Tapas Pal was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in the Rose Valley Chit Fund scam.

CBI has accused the ponzi firm of duping investors of Rs 17,000 crore, of which Rs 450 crore is from Odisha alone. The company was active in Odisha and had 28 branches in the state.

"He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) can arrest all of our MPs, I do not care. This is nothing but vendetta politics. We will continue with our protest (against demonetisation)," a furious TMC chief had said after the arrest.

TMC leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay was also summoned by the central agency in the same case.

Another TMC leader Madan Mitra was granted bail by a special court in September after 21 months of his arrest for his alleged involvement in the Saradha chitfund scam.

Suspended TMC MP Kunal Ghosh is also out on bail in cases related to the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam. Ghosh was suspended by the TMC in September, 2013 for anti-party activities after he had started making allegations of involvement of some party leaders in the scam.

Investigation into the ponzi scam, which came to light in 2013, revealed that the Saradha Group had allegedly cheated investors of Rs 1,200 crore in mainly rural areas, as per an official estimate. The CBI had taken over the investigation in June, 2014 following an order of the Supreme Court. 

TMC chief Banerjee, who has been opposing demonetisation and demanding its roll back since the beginning, led protests in Delhi besides holding meetings in Lucknow and Patna.

"Started on 1 January 1998 by people of Bengal, Trinamool turns 19 today. We rededicate ourselves to be with the people, for the people, by the people," Banerjee said in a tweet on Sunday.

Banerjee, who was baptised into politics through her stint in Congress first as youth Congress leader and then as MP, floated her party TMC in 1998 following differences with the Congress.

Her party won for the second consecutive time last year in West Bengal Assembly polls.