On TMC’s decision to abstain from VP polls, Opposition pick Margaret Alva says not the 'time for ego'

New Delhi: Slamming the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress' decision to abstain from voting in the upcoming Vice Presidential election 2022, Opposition pick Margaret Alva on Friday (July 22) said this is not the time for “'whataboutery’, ego or anger”. Calling West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee an “epitome of courage”, Alva urged her to back the Opposition. “The TMC's decision to abstain from voting in the VP election is disappointing. This isn't the time for 'whataboutery’, ego or anger. This is the time for courage, leadership & unity. I believe, @MamataOfficial , who is the epitome of courage, will stand with the opposition,” the Opposition VP candidate tweeted. 

The former Union Minister’s remark comes a day after senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said that the party will abstain from the vice presidential election saying the Opposition candidate was decided without consulting Mamata Banerjee’s party.

The TMC's decision to abstain from voting in the VP election is disappointing. This isn't the time for 'whataboutery’, ego or anger. This is the time for courage, leadership & unity. I believe, @MamataOfficial , who is the epitome of courage, will stand with the opposition.

— Margaret Alva (@alva_margaret) July 22, 2022

"There is no question of supporting the NDA candidate, especially Jagdeep Dhankhar. But after today's meeting with party lawmakers, it has been decided that we will abstain from the vice presidential election," the Trinamool Congress national general secretary said.

"We disagree with the process of announcing the Opposition candidate without keeping TMC in the loop. We were neither consulted nor was anything discussed with us. So we can't support the Opposition nominee," Abhishek Banerjee was quoted as saying by PTI. 

Attacking Mamata Banerjee over the decision to abstain from the VP election, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged the West Bengal CM has a pact with BJP. "West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar is a Vice Presidential candidate, he often used to have a spat with the Chief Minister. A few days ago, Governor called Mamata Banerjee in Darjeeling and they had a meeting along with Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma at the Darjeeling Governor`s House. The next day he was announced as Vice Presidential candidate, which means there was a Darjeeling pact among them," Chowdhury told ANI. 

Meanwhile, veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the opposition should work unitedly and they will try to find the reason behind TMC's decision on the August 6 vice presidential polls. 

(With agency inputs)