"We want CM Mamata to join yatra": Jairam Ramesh as Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra enters West Bengal

Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], January 25 (ANI): As the Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered West Bengal today, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday that he is very confident that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too wants to defeat the BJP, adding, "We especially want CM herself to come, even if that is for 10-15 minutes."
Jairam Ramesh told ANI that Mamata Banerjee is an experienced and energetic leader of the country and they respect her.
"I have said that TMC is an important pillar of the INDIA bloc which comprises 28 parties. Mamata Banerjee is an experienced and energetic leader of the country, a tall leader. We respect her. Everyone knows that she holds a special place and identity in the politics of our country. I am very confident that she too wants to defeat the BJP, we also want the same. We will fight together. We will make the INDIA bloc successful. That is our duty," he said.
This comes after Mamata Banerje's announcement that her Trinamool Congress (TMC) party will fight Lok Sabha polls alone in the state.
Responding to whether CM Mamata will attend the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Bengal, Ramesh said, "She had been invited. Mallikarjun Kharge had written a letter to her and also sent her an email. Our leaders - Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi - all of them want leaders from TMC to come and participate in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. We especially want CM herself to come; even if that is for 10-15 minutes, Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will have more impact."
The India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, formed to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, suffered a huge setback on Wednesday as Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said that her party declared that it would fight alone in Bengal.
"I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country but we are a secular party and in Bengal, we alone will defeat the BJP," the TMC supremo had said.
Further, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications slammed Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and said the Assam CM was engaged from the first minute in stopping the yatra.
"Let Himanta Biswa Sharma say whatever he wants to say. Before this visit, Rahul ji had presented five justices before the country - Youth Justice, Women Justice, Farmer Justice, Partnership Justice and Labor Justice. PM Modi and the Home Minister have done an injustice to the people of Assam by making Himanta CM. He is the most corrupt chief minister. Other states too have a BJP CM but no one has caused as much trouble as Assam. CM Himanta was engaged from the first minute in stopping this yatra," he said.
Meanwhile, Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi said on Thursday that the Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, can keep registering FIRs against Rahul Gandhi but the grand old party will continue with its Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, with an aim to unite the country.
The Congress MP from Assam's Kaliabor said that Chief Minister Sarma is the "most corrupt" CM and that this is expected from him.
"They (the Assam government) keep filing FIRs, we will continue on our Yatra. Bharatiya Janata Party should keep dividing the country on the basis of religion and language, (but) we will continue to unite the country through Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra," Gogoi said. (ANI)