Campaigns prior to the election in West Bengal are getting pithier with each passing day.

Yashwant Sinha’s addition to the TMC has given a shot in the arm for the campaigners for Mamata Banerjee. At a conference in Kolkata, Sinha told reporters that the way the current BJP-government has usurped the democratic process and institutions across the country is very problematic. He added that the bodies like Election Commission and judiciary have also succumbed to it.  He also stressed that Vajpayee as PM laid importance on consensus building.

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Addressing a press conference at TMC Bhawan, Sinha said, “You must be surprised why at this age, when I had distanced myself from party politics, why I am joining a party and turning active. I would like to say that the country is going through an extraordinary situation. The strength of democracy lies in the institutions of democracy. Today mostly all institutions have become weak. This includes the judiciary too, unfortunately”.

He added, “Nobody is there to put a stop to the government’s whimsical behaviour. You can see what is happening in the country and nobody seems to be worried. Farmers are sitting at the borders, migrant workers are forced to walk back home. Health, education everything is in doldrums. The aim of the ruling party seems to be to win elections somehow. There is a lot of difference between Atal (Bihari Vajpayee) ji’s party and the one of today. Atal ji believed in consensus, today’s government believes in crushing”.

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The former Finance Minister said that he had a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and has discussed various issues.

Sinha further added, “The tipping point was the attack on Mamata. That was the moment of decision to join the TMC.” He also highlighted that the defeat of BJP in West Bengal would lead to their fall in Delhi in 2024, the year of real paribartan.