Mamata's statement confirms our rise in Bengal: BJP

Kolkata, Aug 30: Taking a dig at

Chief Minister

's statement that Left parties are not "untouchable" for her,

on Saturday said her views corroborated the saffron surge in the state.

"She has admitted and her statement endorses the fact that BJP is rising in Bengal. Actually, she is scared of BJP gaining momentum in the state, well aware that her votebank and appeasement politics won't be able to help her win the next Assembly polls," BJP National Secretary Siddharth Nath Singh told PTI.

"So she is sending feelers to her adversaries against whom she had herself fought in 2011," Singh said.

In a TV interview on Friday Banerjee was asked whether she was willing to have alliance with the Left parties, evoking the reply, "We can hold talks with them, there is no problem in talking".

BJP: Mamata Banerjee is scared of BJP gaining momentum in the state

"She is saying this now but I had told the same thing long back that Trinamool, Left and Congress will join hands to halt us in Bengal. But let me tell you it won't come in aid of Banerjee this time. Even she herself now confirms that we are inching closer to be a formidable political force," BJP state President Rahul Sinha said.

On Friday, while talking on the Lalu-Nitish tie-up to stop BJP in Bihar, Banerjee had said, "If such a situation arose in Bengal, we will think over it. I still think nobody is untouchable. We had tie-up with SUCI once. We also had tie-up with some other smaller parties. If anybody comes forward we can talk.

In a democracy, nobody should shut the door for talks. No option should be closed." But when asked if she was ready to join hands with CPI-M, Banerjee, however, hastened to add, "I did not say that. I only said if any proposal comes, we will discuss within our party".

PTI