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PM Modi mocks Didi over Varanasi challenge, suggests she has accepted defeat
Two days after the ruling Trinamool Congress had tweeted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be challenged at Varanasi in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi mocked TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee saying that this means she has accepted defeat in Bengal and is looking for a place outside Bengal
Two days after the ruling Trinamool Congress had tweeted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be challenged at Varanasi in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi mocked TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee saying that this means she has accepted defeat in Bengal and is looking for a place outside Bengal.
“Didi’s party (TMC) is now saying that she would contest the Lok Sabha polls (in 2024) from Varanasi. After this statement came out, two things have become clear. One, she has accepted defeat in Bengal. Second, she is trying to find a place for herself outside Bengal,” Modi said while addressing a rally in South 24 Parganas on Saturday.
Late on Thursday night a tweet by the TMC had triggered speculation over whether Banerjee would contest against Modi from Varanasi or the party would field someone to challenge him in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
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“Didi is winning Nandigram. The question of her fighting from another seat doesn’t arise. @narendramodi Ji, retract from your efforts to mislead people before they see your lies with the end of nomination in WB [West Bengal]. Look for a safer seat in 2024, as you will be challenged in Varanasi,” the TMC had tweeted.
“It is good. After losing in the Vidhan Sabha, she should try her hand at the Lok Sabha,” Modi said.
Banerjee had earlier handled several important portfolios including coal and railways in the Union government.
Senior TMC leader and state minister Subrata Chatterjee said: “There cannot be any comment on such nonsensical topics.”
A few days ago Banerjee had said in a public rally that after winning the Bengal polls, her next target would be Delhi. Earlier this week the TMC chief had also written letters to various non-BJP leaders including Sonia Gandhi to unite against the BJP.
On Saturday Modi, however, took a jibe saying: “My request to you is not to get angry with people of Varanasi and Uttar Pradesh. They will give you a lot of affection and will not even allow you to go to Delhi. They will keep you there (in Varanasi).”
The Prime Minister also countered Banerjee’s ‘outsider’ and ‘tourist’ remarks against BJP’s central leaders coming to Bengal for campaigning. Mamata had often portrayed BJP leader as outsiders who wear tilaks and chew pan masala.
“The people of Varanasi and Uttar Pradesh are big-hearted, and they would never call you an outsider or tourist. You get irritated with Jai Shri Ram but there every two minutes you will hear Har Har Mahadev. You will get people with tilaks and choti. What would you do then? On whom would you vent your anger?”
After allegations of rigging surfaced from Nandigram, which went to polls on April 1, the TMC had lodged a complaint with the ECI against central forces and had also raised the issue of EVM malfunction.
Modi, however, took a dig saying: “You didn’t get a chance to rig the polls and that why you are abusing the ECI and questioning the central forces? Ten years ago you had so much faith on these security forces.”
Earlier Union home minister Amit Shah had said that the BJP would choose a son of soil as its chief minister when the party forms the government. On Saturday Modi reiterated the same to put to rest TMC’s outsider charges.
“Wherever BJP has formed governments, be it Assam, Tripura or Manipur, the chief minister was chosen from that state itself. Same will happen in West Bengal. After the historic victory of BJP on May 2, son of the soil will take oath as the chief minister to transform Bengal into Sonar Bangla.”
