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'Break BJP's prison...': Fiery Mamata Banerjee fires 2024 election salvo
Mamata Banerjee news: Bengal chief minister was addressing a rally in Kolkata on the occasion of Martyrs' Day.
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said Thursday the Bharatiya Janata Party would be 'swept away from power' courtesy a people's mandate in the 2024 general election. Addressing a large rally in Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress boss also labelled the BJP an 'anti-people' government and pointed to the increase in GST, or Goods and Services Tax, for pre-packed and labelled food - like cereals, pulses and flour - weighing less than 25 kg.
"Break BJP's prison, bring people's government in 2024," she said to thunderous applause.
"The BJP will be swept away from power by the people’s mandate in 2024. They will be defeated. I can certainly say that the BJP will not get single-party majority," she said.
"And once that happens, others will unite to form the next government..."
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Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed Mamata Banerjee, in her trademark white saree, on a podium overlooking an ocean of supporters.
A cut-out of a gas cylinder also made an appearance - to emphasise her jabs about rising prices, including that of LPG.
"What will the people eat when the BJP is implementing GST on everything, even puffed rice and milk powder. How will the poor survive in this country?"
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In an all-out and multi-pronged attack, Mamata Banerjee also took on the BJP over the controversial 'Agnipath' armed forces recruitment scheme.
The Bengal leader also warned the BJP against trying to oust her government - a reference to the intense drama in Maharashtra after Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, backed by the BJP, forced the resignation of Uddhav Thackeray.
Shine is now the head of the Maharashtra government, with the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis at his right hand.
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Mamata Banerjee has emerged as perhaps the strongest opposition voice to the BJP, with her street cred boosted by a statement win in the Bengal assembly election held earlier this year.
Her push to unite the opposition against the BJP was recently apparent in the selection of ex union minister Yashwant Sinha as a candidate for the presidential election.
However, Sinha is unlikely to win that race - the BJP's Droupadi Murmu holds a commanding lead after the first of two rounds of vote-counting today.
Mamata Banerjee's address today was on the occasion of Martyrs' Day
The Trinamool observes Martyrs' Day on July 21 to commemorate the killing of 13 people in police firing on a Youth Congress rally against the then Left Front government in 1993; Mamata Banerjee was the youth state president then.
With input from ANI, PTI
