Mamata Banerjee prepares tea for people at roadside stall in Nandigram
Nandigram (WB), Mar 9: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday visited a temple and a mausoleum in Nandigram, where she has crossed swords with her former close aide-turned-bete noire Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, and said she "does not believe in divisive politics".
The TMC supremo, after addressing a party workers' meeting, paid her reverence at the local mazar, popular among members of the minority community here, and then offered prayers at Maa chandi temple nearby.
As she entered the temple, women, who lined up next to the shrine, blew conch shells to greet her. At the mausoleum, too, she was extended a warm welcome.
Next, Banerjee visited a roadside stall, where she prepared tea for the customers, much to the astonishment of the shop owner.
"I am here to serve all, no matter which section they belong to... People are with me, 100 per cent of them. On Shivratri (Thursday), I will be offering puja at a temple, which is close to my accommodation in Nandigram, interact with people there and then file my nomination, she said.
The CM, while talking to reporters, also said several welfare projects have been launched by her government in Nandigram over the past 10 years, "as is evident from the metalled roads, streetlights and bustling marketplaces, and more such work will be undertaken in the days to come".
#WATCH: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee serves tea to everyone at a tea stall in Nandigram. The CM herself had tea at the stall. pic.twitter.com/0FwnNgZF44
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2021
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Cong claims TVK chief Vijay has sought its support for govt formation in Tamil Nadu
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday claimed that TVK chief Vijay has sought its support for government formation in Tamil Nadu and its leadership has directed the state unit to take a final decision on the matter, keeping in view the state's sentiments.
The party, which fought the assembly election in alliance with the DMK, asserted that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government and that it is determined "not to have the BJP and its proxies run the government of Tamil Nadu in any manner".
Top Congress leaders held a meeting at party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Tuesday evening that was attended by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar, among others.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Congress general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal said the Congress leadership discussed the post-election scenario in Tamil Nadu.
"TVK President Thiru Vijay has requested the Indian National Congress for support to form a Government in Tamil Nadu. He has spoken about drawing inspiration from Perumthalaivar Kamaraj as well, in his political mission.
"The INC is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government that is committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit. The INC is determined not to have the BJP and its proxies run the Government of Tamil Nadu in any manner," he said.
"Accordingly, the Congress leadership has directed the TNCC to take a final decision on Thiru Vijay's request, keeping in view the sentiments of the state reflected in the electoral verdict," Venugopal told reporters.
Vijay's TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, falling short of the halfway mark. He needs the support of 10 MLAs to form a government with a simple majority. The results were declared only on Monday.
The Congress has won five seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has bagged four seats. The CPI and CPI-M have two seats each.
On the other hand, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has won 59 seats while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has won 47 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won only one seat and so have the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK), while the VCK has won two seats.
The Congress had fought the assembly polls in a pre-poll alliance with the DMK, while the BJP had a tie-up with the AIADMK.
