With Prashant Kishor's help, Mamata’s boat ready to test the Goa waters

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s promise of ‘khela hobe’ in several states to defeat BJP has hit the shores of Goa – a state located on the extreme other end of Bengal.

The tiny state, presently with a BJP government in place, goes to polls in February next year. News18 reported that poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) has a team of 200 people working to introduce Trinamool Congress in Goa.

Addressing voters at Kolkata’s Bhabanipur area, her bypoll constituency, Mamata Banerjee said, “Trinamool plans to contest elections in other states. We will contest in Tripura. Tripura te khela hobe, Assam te khela hobe, Goa te khela hobe, UP te khela hobe. BJP should know that the player who will defeat them has come.”

Mamata has been in high spirits ever since Trinamool Congress registered a resounding victory over the BJP in West Bengal is the last assembly elections. Trinamool Congress members openly speak about taking the party to other states ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Also read: Mamata is the only alternative to Modi, says TMC

There were reports of Goa Congress President Girish Chodankar joining Trinamool Congress ahead of the state elections. However, local Congress leaders have refuted the claim. Trinamool, meanwhile, is keen to travel from eastern shores of India all the way to the western shores and project itself as the principle opposition party before the general elections in 2024.

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party also has a substantial presence in Goa. Since Mamata has good ties with Kejriwal, it will be interesting to see if the two regional parties join hands to fight against a common enemy – the BJP.