Ahead of 2022 Goa Assembly polls, All India Congress Committee (AICC) state in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday compared Trinamool Congress (TMC) with Bharatiya Janata Party and said that TMC is indulging in unethical politics by distributing cash to people.
Speaking to ANI, he alleged that "TMC is using money power" in the state to "buy votes".
Rao also said that the word 'Trinamool' means 'grass-root', that is 'to come from below'. Ironically, the party is not following the fundamental (principles) on which the party was formed, he added.
"Trinamool means grass-root politics. Trinamool means to come from below. But in Goa, they are landing on choppers, with money, trying to poach and defect people from other parties especially congress. This is not from the grass-root. I respect them but what they are doing here is what the BJP does. They are coming with huge money power and trying to buy peoples' votes. They are offering money to people, trying to poach people. What kind of grass-root politics is TMC practising? They are practising the most unethical politics. It is completely unhealthy," said the AICC in-charge of Goa.
Referring to the unethical ways of garnering votes by TMC shows that it is avert to following the principles of democracy.
He further said that the party's election practices do not look like a "good democracy."
When asked about TMC considering stitching an alliance with Congress, he said, "They are making an attempt (for alliance). I don't know why they have come there (Goa) and for what purpose. The way they are going is something that I would say is not good democracy."
This statement comes after the TMC announced that they will fight Assembly polls alone in Goa.
Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala had said, "Congress has fought the Narendra Modi-government continuously for the last seven years without bowing down and repressing. We accept our responsibility. We have suffered many atrocities and the Election department of the Modi government i.e. ED, CBI and IT continuously attacked but we endured. Sometimes small political parties get nervous but we do not have any hatred for them and we are still with them. TMC had contested assembly elections in Goa even 5 years ago but then disappeared. Isn't it election tourism? But such parties look inside themselves and see if they are not supporting BJP."
There are 40 seats in the state's legislative assembly. Of these, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the party would contest 22 seats.
Meanwhile, Assembly elections in Goa, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur are scheduled to take place in early 2022.
( With inputs from ANI )
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