Asserting that West Bengal will show the way to the country in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) chief Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that the BJP is in power at the Centre because there is no alternative at present.

“If an alternative can be created by the political parties, the BJP can be ousted from power in 2024,” Banerjee said. “The BJP has to be ousted from power in the coming 2024 Lok Sabha polls and Bengal will show the way in this regard.”

She was addressing an organisational programme organised by the party at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata, where all AITC MLAs, ministers, various organisational members and councillors of various municipalities were present. With an emphasis on pan-India expansion, Banerjee also asked her party leaders to work hard in all northeastern states, including Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya and Goa. The AITC also announced a new state committee on Tuesday.

“We need to work hard on the north-eastern states and have appointed senior Trinamool minister Manas Ranjan Bhuniya as the in-charge of the party’s Meghalaya unit and Sabyasachi Dutta as the co-in-charge for the state. Rajib Banerjee has been appointed as the state in-charge of Tripura,” Banerjee announced.

She also thanked the people of Goa for accepting the AITC, although election results in Goa will be announced along with the other four states on Thursday. “Trinamool must reach every household in Goa. A team of Trinamool leaders is already in Goa.”

Banerjee expressed her gratitude to the SP and said she was shown “immense respect” by its leader Akhilesh Yadav. “It is not necessary that we always need to fight and win from everywhere. In some places, we need to have a friendly presence, as in UP.” she said, referring to the state where she campaigned for the SP instead of fielding candidates herself.

Banerjee announced the names of new post-holders of the newly created state committee in West Bengal.