Kolkata, Feb 02, 2024, IANS

Kolkata, Feb 2 (IANS): After making it clear that Trinamool Congress will go solo in West Bengal in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee predicted on Friday that the Congress will pay heavily in terms of seats in the upcoming general elections.

Banerjee also said that she has doubt if Congress will be able to win even 40 seats in the elections.

She also said that Congress does not have the strength to take on the BJP in the saffron-ruled states in North India.

Speaking to the mediapersons during her two-day sit-in demonstration against non-payment of central dues to West Bengal, Banerjee also ridiculed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, without naming him, over the latter’s mass reach out exercise during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state that moved to Jharkhand on Friday.

Making a direct reference to Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with 'bidi' workers in North Bengal, Banerjee said, "One who does not have the minimum knowledge as to how bidis are made is now resorting to photo-shoots. This is the trend and fashion going on now.”

She also reiterated that Trinamool Congress alone can resist the BJP in West Bengal.

“We had resisted the BJP alone before and we will be doing the same this time as well,” she said.

She also accused the Congress of not sending her an official invitation to attend the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra when it entered West Bengal.

“They came to our state but did not inform us even once. The rally entered West Bengal suddenly. I proposed Congress to contest 300 seats and leave the remaining for the regional parties. But it did not agree and instead showed its big-brother attitude,” Banerjee said.