Mamata calls for unity, slams BJP's 'divisive politics' at Eid prayers
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged people not to fall into provocations that could fuel communal riots and stressed that her government would stand with the residents, ensuring that no one could stir tensions in the state.
Addressing an Eid prayers programme on Red Road here, the Trinamool Congress supremo claimed, "Provocations are being made to fuel riots, but please don't fall into these traps. The West Bengal government stands with the minorities. No one can provoke tensions in the state."
Banerjee also hit out at the BJP, asking, "If they (BJP) have problems with the minorities, will they change the Constitution of the country?"
She reaffirmed her belief in respecting all religions and reiterated her opposition to the BJP's "divisive politics", which she described as "jumla politics" aimed at dividing people.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also spoke on the occasion, highlighting the unity in the party in resisting the BJP during the last Lok Sabha elections.
"In the last (2024) Lok Sabha polls, we together resisted the march of the BJP," he asserted.
"The BJP says 'Hindus are in danger', and their friends say 'Muslims are in danger'. I would ask them to remove their lens of communal politics. The truth is that the entire country is in danger because of their politics. If they try to create divisions in West Bengal, we will resist it," he added.
Both leaders emphasised that the Trinamool Congress would continue to fight against attempts to sow division and promote communal politics in the state.
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SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
