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Gujaratis trying to capture Bengal by bringing goons from UP, Bihar: Mamata Banerjee
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has its foot firmly set in the state for a decade now, is engaged in a bitter contest with the BJP in the ongoing Assembly elections.
Amid the ongoing war of words in poll-bound West Bengal's political arena, chief minister Mamata Banerjee took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, accusing them of trying to capture the state by bringing goons from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The remarks come a day after PM Modi, while addressing an election rally in Bengal, accused Mamata Banerjee of having an "obstructionist mindset" and slammed her for branding BJP leaders as "outsiders" (Bohirgato).
Shah, among the star campaigners from the BJP's side along with PM Modi, has been attacking the chief minister over running the state government on a "3T model of Tanashahi, Tolabazi, and Tushtikaran" (dictatorship, extortion, and appeasement). He has also claimed that the BJP will win the assembly election in Bengal with a huge margin.
Read full coverage on Assembly elections 2021 here
Mamata has been canvassing across the state aggressively and giving befitting replies to all the jabs.
"Gujaratis are trying to capture Bengal by bringing goons from UP and Bihar. We will not allow Bengal to become like Gujarat," Mamata Banerjee was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has its foot firmly set in the state for a decade now, is engaged in a bitter contest with the BJP in the ongoing Assembly elections where Mamata is eyeing a third term and BJP is looking to dislodge her from power. Amping up the heat, the BJP pitted Mamata's protege-turned-nemesis Suvendhu Adhikari against her in Nandigram.
The TMC chief also lashed out at the BJP's claims of giving money to farmers. "They (BJP) are giving big dialogues about giving money to farmers. I have sent them (Central govt) the list (of beneficiaries). Why aren't they sending the money?" Mamata Banerjee said.
The Bengal CM also attacked the BJP top leaders in her address over the probes by investigative agencies on her nephew and said, "Modi is syndicate one and Amit Shah is syndicate two. They are sending agencies to Abhishek's house, Sudip's house and to the house of Stalin's daughter."
Read HT's full coverage on West Bengal Assembly elections 2021 here
In a sharp attack, Mamata questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "god or a superhuman" for making claims of a BJP triumph in the assembly elections, six phases of which still remain.
At an election rally in Hooghly district, the TMC boss, without naming the Indian Secular Front or its founder Abbas Siddiqui, also said the BJP is giving money "to a person" to eat into minority votes.
The elections for the West Bengal assembly are being held in eight phases which began with polling for 30 seats on March 27. Counting for all the seats will be held on May 2. Polling in two phases has been conducted amid stringent Covid-19 safety protocols.
Voting for the next phase of elections will take place on April 6, and the campaigning for it will get over today evening.
The phase will cover 30 seats from the districts of South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly.
