Congress: Over 1,000 Muslims from TMC, BJP have joined us

Shakil Ansari, the former vice-president of the TMC’s    minority cell, who joined Congress on Thursday,  said, 'There is no respect left in TMC for the Muslims...'

Over 1,000 Muslim members of the TMC and BJP allegedly  joined Congress on Thursday. “It proves that the Congress is a growing force in Bengal. From being written off as the signboard party, it has started walking on its own feet,” said state party president Somen Mitra.

Shakil Ansari, the former vice-president of the TMC’s minority cell, who joined Congress on Thursday, said, “There is no respect left in TMC for the Muslims. Those who are sticking with it at present are doing so only for their personal gains. If people have a little bit of self-respect, they will not be able to stay in that party.”

However, with all the rumors doing the rounds that Congress might join hands with TMC ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Ansari said, “I have joined Congress against all odds. TMC members in our locality have already started giving us veiled threats. Now, if Congress decides to join hands with the TMC, we don’t know what will happen to us.”

Mitra, too, did not rule out such possibility. “Personally, I would want Congress to fight alone on its own strength. I have conveyed it to our president Rahul Gandhi but one must understand that we are a state chapter of a national party and what the AICC decides, we will have to abide by it,” Mitra said.

“I would not like to take any names, but there are many who are in touch with us and would soon be officially inducted in the party,” Mitra added.

Reacting to Ansari and others joining Congress, Idris Ali, TMC MP, said, “I cannot even recall who Ansari and others are. Talking about people who do not matter only gives them importance. Such people may hop from one party to another frequently. It does not matter to us. Muslims in Bengal are with Mamata Banerjee.”