"Mamata Banerjee will play key role in next government": TMC leader Kunal Ghosh

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 18 : Expressing strong confidence ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said that the Bharatiya Janata Party will be defeated in the upcoming general elections and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party will play a crucial role in the next government.
He said that the TMC manifesto that was released on Wednesday is not just for the people of West Bengal but for the nation.
Speaking to ANI, Kunal Ghosh said, "We have had alliance governments in the country earlier also. This time also, the BJP will be removed and a non-BJP government will come to power. Mamata Banerjee will play a key role in that government and Trinamool will have control of it."
"When she (Mamata) is talking against the CAA and NRC, it's impacting the entire country and we have given a call for an alternate government. So our manifesto is not just for Bengal, but for the whole country," he added.
He further affirmed confidence that TMC will come out victorious on all three seats that are going to poll in the first phase tomorrow.
"Three seats are going to poll tomorrow; Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduars. We will win on all three seats. In 2019, some voters got confused and voted for other candidates. But, this time there is a wave and we will win all seats," Ghosh added.
The TMC leader also slammed Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claiming that he is being supported and promoted by BJP.
"Adhir Chowdhury is a man of Narendra Modi. 'BJP ke do bhai, left front aur Congressai'. Adhir Chowdhury is going to be defeated. Just to keep him in the news, BJP is promoting him," Ghosh said.
Polling in the 42 parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal will be held across all seven phases: April 19, April 26, May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4.
Notably, all three seats -- Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduars -- that will go to polls tomorrow are being currently held by BJP.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP marked a strong improvement, taking its tally from 2 in 2014 to 18 against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank.
Though the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc, it does not have a seat-sharing arrangement with the other parties in the alliance, like Congress and the Left parties in the state.
The BJP, on the other hand, is aiming to make further inroads in the state after rising to the rank of main Opposition party in the state in the Assembly elections in 2021.