'TMC only alternative': Mahua Moitra hits back at Rahul Gandhi

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has hit back at her Congress counterpart Rahul Gandhi over his allegation that the TMC was in cahoots with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Meghalaya and claimed that Mamata Banerjee-led party was the only national alternative to the saffron party.

Moitra, at a public meeting on Thursday in support of TMC candidate from North Shillong Elgiva Gwyneth Rynjah, said, “Had the Congress been able to defeat the BJP, there would be no need for us (to contest the assembly polls). However, since Congress failed to win the state, we had to step forward to provide an alternative to the people. The TMC is the only alternative (against the BJP).”

“Are we supposed to sit at home and watch the BJP win another general election while the Congress continues to lose state after state?” Moitra said. Exhorting women voters to get behind the party's North Shillong candidate, Moitra said, "We have the power (to make a change). Let all the male votes be divided. If all the women vote for Elgiva, we will win (North Shillong)."

"You know the history of the TMC -- the violence and scams that take place in West Bengal. You are aware of their tradition. They spent a huge amount of money in Goa (polls) and the idea was to help the BJP. That is exactly the idea in Meghalaya. The TMC's idea in Meghalaya is to ensure that the BJP is strengthened and come to power," Rahul Gandhi said.