Citing Killings In WB Polls, Union Minister Smriti Irani Targets Gandhi Family, Cong Over TMC Alliance Plans

At least 15 people were killed during polling in the eastern state on Saturday, with both the ruling TMC and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party accusing each of other of indulging in violence.

"People are seeing the way democracy was murdered in the panchayat polls in West Bengal where people who went to cast their votes were killed. With that TMC party, the Gandhi family (Congress) wants to enter into an alliance," she said in apparent reference to the two parties taking part in the Opposition meet held in Patna on June 23.

The opposition parties had met there on the invitation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to form an alliance against the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Union Women and Child Development minister said she wanted to ask the Gandhi family if it was acceptable to align with those who had wreaked havoc in West Bengal.

Are these killings (during the WB panchayat polls) acceptable to the Gandhi family, Irani asked

Irani was speaking after being asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's interaction with farmers in their fields in Haryana on Saturday.

Irani was here to address a regional symposium on child protection, safety and welfare held in Bhopal.

-With PTI Input