TMC, BJP face-off over President’s Bengal visit

The visit of President Droupadi Murmu to West Bengal has also sparked a political face-off between the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. On Monday, the state’s TMC government organised a grand reception for India’s first tribal woman President, but the BJP was absent.

The saffron party alleged that its MPs and MLAs were not invited. State’s leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari took to Twitter on the issue.

The BJP has also decided that a delegation of leaders from the party will meet the President on Tuesday in the state. Sources say the saffron party will raise the issue of law and order concerns before Murmu.

The TMC held a press conference to respond to the BJP’s charges and tweeted that the opposition party was lying as invitations had been sent to its leaders.

State minister and TMC leader Shashi Panja told News18, “The BJP is a big liar. They have belittled the first tribal woman President of India. We thought together we would honour Droupadi ji. But they actually want to insult the President. That’s why they did not come. See (showing papers), the fact is that the government has invited them, and here is the proof.”

Reacting to this, the BJP claimed that the document of invitation shown by the TMC was fake.

Political analysts say panchayat elections will soon take place in West Bengal and are being viewed as a barometer for next year’s Lok Sabha polls. Tribal votes will be important in these elections and that’s why both parties are trying to one-up each other on the issue.