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Mamata Banerjee fit to be first PM from Bengal, says Dilip Ghosh. Then, adds riders
BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said that Mamata Banerjee’s name was first in the list of leaders who can be the prime minister.
At a time when Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are bitter opponents, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh on Saturday triggered a controversy by saying that chief minister Mamata Banerjee is the fittest person to be the first prime minister from Bengal.
He even said that Banerjee’s name was first in the list of leaders who can be the prime minister. He made the statement, the video of which was uploaded on Youtube around 9.15 pm, while wishing Banerjee good health on her birthday. Born on Jan 5, 1955, the Bengal chief minister turned 64 on Saturday.
“Bengal’s fate depends on her success. She needs to be in good health because if someone from Bengal is selected a prime minister she has the brightest chance,” said Ghosh. When asked why no BJP leader from Bengal could be in the race, he said, “Maybe later. She will be first choice if someone from Bengal is selected. Jyoti Basu could have been the first Bengali to get that opportunity but his party (CPI-M) did not allow him...”
As the video went viral, Ghosh said that he was wishing Banerjee on her birthday and did not want to say anything bad. “She dreams of being the next PM. So I wished her luck. Of course Narendra Modi will lead the country again in 2019,” said Ghosh.
Ghosh even alleged that Banerjee opposed Pranab Mukherjee’s candidature for President. “All Bengalis remember how she she tried to block Mukherjee’s candidature,” said the Bengal BJP president.
Even as Ghosh tried to control the damage, Bengal BJP leaders avoided embarrassment and refused to comment on Ghosh’s first statement made before a section of reporters from local television channels.
“I have not seen the video and hence cannot comment. But I can say for sure that it is a conspiracy hatched by Trinamool Congress. A party that cannot even rule Bengal should not dream of ruling India,” said BJP national secretary and former state president Rahul Sinha.
Senior Trinamool leaders did not comment on Ghosh’s statement till 10.30 pm.
