"Ram-Bam" Alliance Emerging In Bengal: Mamata Banerjee's Jibe At BJP, Left

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday lashed out at the right-wing BJP and claimed that the saffron party's ideology differentiates between people on the basis of religion.

Ms Banerjee also attacked what she saw as a tacit understanding between the Left and the BJP, accusing the two parties, which are ideologically poles apart, of forging a 'Ram-Bam' (BJP-Left) alliance.

Ms Banerjee, while addressing a convention of party workers and leaders, said her party's cadres have to reach out to the people to counter canards spread against the TMC by opposition parties.

"We are followers of an inclusive ideology. We need to take along everyone. BJP's ideology differentiates people on religious lines.

"You have to listen to people with humility," Ms Banerjee told TMC workers at the party programme held at `Nazrul Mancha', named after the famous Independence struggle poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

In an apparent reference to a tacit understanding between the opposition BJP and the Left in the state, she said, "Now, 'Ram and Bam' (BJP and Left) have become one." She said a proper vigilance system at the party level will be put in place to "weed out rotten elements".

"A proper vigilance system will be put in place to keep a check at the panchayat level. There will be a check and cross-check mechanism to look into all complaints," she said.

With an eye on West Bengal panchayat polls due this year, the ruling Trinamool Congress also launched a new campaign 'Didir Suraksha Kavach' to reach out to people.

The campaign was launched by the chief minister in the presence of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and state president Subrata Bakshi.

"The party will start the campaign on January 11 and will continue with it for 60 days. Our party workers will reach out to people across the state and ensure that everyone can avail of welfare schemes of the state government," Abhishek Banerjee said while addressing a press conference.

Just like 'Duare Sarkar' (government at your doorstep), an outreach programme of the state government, the objective of the new campaign will be to connect with people through the party's programme, the CM said.

"Around 3.5 lakh party workers will reach out to around 10 crore people of the state. It is being done so that no one is left out. The 'Duare Sarkar' campaign of the state government will continue," she said.

Ms Banerjee, while speaking on TMC's vision as it completed 25 years on January 1, said the party aims at a "united India with a strengthened federal structure".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)