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Kolkata rally: Rahul shares stage with Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, attacks Mamata, Modi

| | Apr 28, 2016, at 12:07 am
Kolkata, Apr 27 (IBNS) Sharing a stage with former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday addressed a rally in Kolkata where he attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over numerous issues.

Gandhi said his party had supported the TMC five years back during the Assembly polls as she had promised to give jobs to people in West Bengal.

"Five years back Mamata ji had promised to give employment to 70 lakh youths. Congress had believed it and supported her," Gandhi said.

"But the youths did not get employment. Jute workers lost their jobs," he said.

Attacking Narendra Modi and his government at the Centre, Gandhi said he brought ‘fair and lovely scheme’ in the nation.

"His government has brought ‘fair and lovely scheme’ in which any thief or terrorist can make his black money white by paying a little bit of tax," Gandhi said.

He said Modi could not fight against corruption since coming to power in the Centre in 2014.

"Modiji also promised that he will fight corruption and take action against black money. Modiji became Prime Minister but what happened?" Gandhi said.

In a rare show, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and senior CPI-M leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee were seen sharing stage during the rally.

The two leaders came together  to showcase the Left-Congress solidarity against the Trinamool Congress rule.

This is for the first time that top leaders of both forces, which had for long been arch enemies in Indian politics, are speaking from the same dais.

The Congress has formed a coalition with the Left in West Bengal to contest the ongoing Assembly Elections.

Bhattacharjee said: "The people of Bengal have never seen this kind of a rally."

The former West Bengal CM said: "Today, both the Left and the Congress leaders have come together. We are sharing the same stage."

"We have come together to unitedly fight against the ruling party. We need to remove the TMC from power and save the state," he said.

"The state will not witness any industry till this power is in power," Bhattacharjee said.

He alleged that the condition of the education system in the state has deteriorated.

Voting for four out of the six phases is over and the fifth is scheduled for Apr 30.

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