West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday admitted that she had called a former Trinamool Congress leader who has now joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying it was not a crime, PTI reported.
The audio clip of Banerjee’s conversation with Proloy Pal had created a controversy on March 27, as the BJP had claimed that she had sought his help to win the Nandigram election. The saffron party has accused Banerjee of trying to influence the Assembly elections.
“Yes I had called up this BJP leader in Nandigram,” Banerjee said. “I had got the feedback that someone wants to talk to me. So I talked to him after getting his number. I told him to keep well, to take care of his health. So what is my crime?”
The Trinamool Congress chief was speaking in Nandigram constituency, which will vote in the second phase of polling on April 1. In Nandigram, Banerjee is contesting against her aide-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari, who had defected to BJP in December.
The chief…