'Hope it's not tokenism': TMC takes a dig at Congress over '40% ticket to women' gambit

TMC took to Twitter to take credit for being the 'first party' to give 40% seats to women in the 2019 polls

The political chasm between the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) has widened further with the latter now taking a dig at the Grand Old Party over its decision to give 40 per cent seats to women in Uttar Pradesh, days after targeting Rahul Gandhi for his defeat in family bastion Amethi.

A day after Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi announced the move to field more women, Mamata Banerjee-led TMC took to Twitter to take credit for being the "first party" to give 40 per cent seats to women in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

However, the party didn't stop there. It went on to take a swipe at Congress saying it was trying to copy TMC, hoping that the move was not just tokenism.

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"Amid such dire times, Congress is understandably trying to emulate and one can only hope that this is genuine and not tokenism. If they are to be taken seriously, they must give 40 per cent seats to women in states other than UP as well," Trinamool Congress said in a tweet.

Amid such dire times, @INCIndia is understandably trying to emulate and one can only hope that this is genuine and not tokenism. If they are to be taken seriously, they must give 40% seats to women in states other than UP as well. (2/2)

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) October 20, 2021

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When election strategist Prashant Kishor questioned Congress's ability to be core Opposition, Congress leader and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said there are no "quick-fix" solutions to become a national alternative, taking a dig a TMC. The Mamata-led party did not shy away from directly targeting Rahul for not being able to win from Amethi in the 2019 elections.

Trinamool tweeted, "Rich words coming from a first-time Chief Minister. Punching above your weight doesn’t bring honour to you, Mr Bhupesh Baghel. What a shoddy attempt to please the high command! By the way, is Congress going to try to erase the historical defeat at Amethi through yet another Twitter Trend?"

Rich words coming from a first-time CM. Punching above your weight doesn’t bring honour to you, Mr. @bhupeshbaghel. What a shoddy attempt to please the high command!

By the way, is @INCIndia going to try to erase the historical defeat at Amethi through yet another Twitter Trend? https://t.co/UiI1Zvcudl

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) October 8, 2021

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This aggressive stance comes even as Congress had come out in support of the former's General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee and tweeted mentioning him from official handle when he was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate.

The tension between Congress and Trinamool Congress has been there for some time as the former had formed an alliance with the Left in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Trinamool's thumping victory in the elections gave the party a renewed confidence to expand and has been poaching on unhappy Congress and BJP leaders among others while projecting itself as a credible alternative to the ruling BJP.

Congress has lost senior leaders Luizinho Faleiro and Sushmita Dev to Trinamool Congress in the recent past while the Mamata Banerjee-led party is trying to emerge as a player in Goa and Tripura where the Congress is so far the second major player after the BJP.

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