Tejashwi tells Biharis living in Bengal to back Mamata, prefers silence on alliance

Kolkata, Mar. 1 (PTI): Seeking to forge unity among secular parties in the West Bengal assembly elections, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday and appealed to the people from Bihar domiciled here to vote for the ruling TMC.

Emerging from a meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat, Yadav said that the first priority of his party was to stop the BJP’s progress in West Bengal.

He, however, avoided giving a straightforward answer to questions by journalists about whether the RJD will contest the elections in alliance with the TMC, saying the upcoming polls will be a fight for saving “ideals and values”.

“Our party’s stand is to provide full support to Mamataji,” he said, appealing to the people from Bihar domiciled in Bengal to stand with Banerjee’s party.

Banerjee, on her part, said she and jailed RJD supremo Lalu prasad share “mutual respect”.

“When we are fighting, it is brother Tejashwi who is also fighting, we are together,” Banerjee said.