Brinda Karat accuses Jaswant of aligning with divisive forces

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat accused senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh of contesting from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat with support from a party which "plans to divide Bengal".

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Monday accused senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh of contesting from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat with support from a party which "plans to divide Bengal".

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"Singh hopes to come to the Lok Sabha on the shoulders of a party (Gorkha Janamukti Morcha) which plans to divide Bengal. They are trying to engineer ethnic and linguistic division," she told reporters in New Delhi.

She said it showed the "desperation of BJP of aligning with such divisive forces. So much for their patriotism ... It certainly does not add to their credibility."

Karat said the BJP leader would contest the seat with support of the GJM, which was demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland, including the hills of Darjeeling and adjoining plains areas of the Dooars.

Observing that there were issues of political morality and ethics, the CPI(M) leader said the BJP "did not have a single unit or a sympathiser in the (North Bengal) region".

Despite this, the saffron party was seeking to contest the polls from there with the support of "an outfit which is committed to the division of Bengal," she said.

To a question on cases relating to alleged distribution of money by some politicians including Singh during electioneering, she said it was shocking that "we are being told that 'daan' (donation) is our culture.... Certainly, very strict action should be taken."