Congress Must Realise They Are Not Emperors Of India: Trinamool Leader

Mahua Moitra said that had the Congress discharged its duty well in Goa, there was no need for Trinamool to enter the coastal state's poll fray to defeat BJP.

Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra on Thursday hit out at the Congress, saying it should realise that its leaders are not "emperors of India" and added that had the grand old party discharged its duty well in Goa, there was no need for the Trinamool to enter the coastal state's poll fray to defeat the ruling BJP.

She said the Trinamool is ready for an alliance in Goa as defeating the BJP is the "need of the hour", but added that the Congress should get off its "high horse" and wake up to its depleted strength.

Ms Moitra was reacting to senior Congress leader P Chidamabaram's assertion made earlier in the day that the Congress and the BJP are the two main contestants in Goa and if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool fielded candidates and secured some votes in the upcoming assembly polls, in effect they will be splitting the non-BJP vote.

In an interview to news agency PTI, Mr Chidambaram also said that the Trinamool and the AAP do not have cadre base in constituencies in Goa and they attempt to build their parties through defections.