Congress alleges TMC spent over Rs 100 crore in the last 60-70 days on advertising and to “buy” party leaders in Goa

PANAJI: The Congress in Goa has accused the All India Trinamool Congress party (TMC) of spending over Rs 100 crore in the last 60-70 days to “buy” Congress leaders and MLAs in the coastal state.

A senior Congress leader from Delhi claimed the TMC has a war chest of Rs 500 crore for the upcoming Goa polls next year, to buy leaders and MLAs in Goa from the Opposition parties. This money is funded by big industrialists who want to loot Goa and destroy its environment and culture, to further their business and financial interests.

AICC Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao wrote on Twitter: A party which has no base in #Goa is now acquiring political strength. 100’s of crores are being spent on Advertising and Buying Leaders from Congress. Where is this massive money coming from? Who is funding the Bengal Party? What is their true intentions? 

On Saturday, Gundu Rao was quoted by news agency IANS as saying the Trinamool Congress is offering prospective candidates between Rs 10 crore and Rs 20 crore to join the political outfit, .

He also accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of trying to weaken the Congress and help the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

“What has the party contributed to Goa. Today they are coming with crores and crores of rupees. People are being offered, come become a candidate we will give you Rs 20 crore Rs. 10 crore. Where is this money coming from and for what purpose are they doing it?” Rao told reporters in Panaji.

“The agenda is very clearly indirectly, they want to help the BJP. There is no question of accepting the TMC alliance now because they are trying to break Congress, not BJP. That is their agenda, so how can we accept their alliance?” Rao also said.

The All India Congress Committee official also said that Banerjee and her party was not carving out a mahagathbandhan against the BJP, but trying to break down anti-BJP parties.

“She is breaking the mahagathbandhan. She is going around the country today trying to not fight the BJP. In the name of fighting the BJP she wants to weaken the Congress, destroy the Congress,” Rao said.

“She is poaching Congress party leaders, she is poaching anti-BJP leaders. Why is she not poaching BJP leaders,” he added.

(With inputs from IANS)