Mamata Banerjee at Martyrs’ Day rally: BJP won’t get full majority in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

The event, which was disrupted for half an hour due to heavy rain, was held after two years in the wake of Covid-19.

Written by Ravik Bhattacharya

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Kolkata | July 22, 2022 02:26 AM IST

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee addresses the Shaheed Diwas rally in Kolkata on Thursday. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that the BJP will not get full majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and more parties will join hands against the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

Addressing a mega Martyrs’ Day (Shahid Divas) rally at Esplanade in Kolkata to commemorate the death of 13 Youth Congress workers led by her in the 1993 police firing, Banerjee urged the Trinamool Congress workers to ensure that the party not only wins all seats in Bengal but also makes a foray in states like Assam, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh.

Claiming that it will be an “election for the BJP’s rejection” in 2024, the TMC supremo said her party will help its friends in states like UP. “The BJP will not get the full majority. I can challenge them on this. Others will join hands (against it),” said the CM at the rally that witnessed a record footfall, bringing the city to a standstill.

The event, which was disrupted for half an hour due to heavy rain, was held after two years in the wake of Covid-19.

Targeting the BJP government at the Centre over imposition of Goods and Service Tax (GST) on several items and hike in prices of petroleum products, she showcased puffed rice (muri) and a replica of LPG cylinder from the stage. “Have they lost their mind? They have imposed GST on puffed rice. What will the people of Bengal eat? They imposed GST on sweets and curd too. Amader muri firiye dao noile BJP biday nao (Return us our muri or leave power),” she added.

Alleging that the BJP is on a spree to bring down governments in the states, the Trinamool chief said, “They brought down the Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra. Now they will try this in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and then Bengal. But I want to tell them that do not think of Bengal even by mistake. There is Royal Bengal tiger here. They tried so hard in 2021. But I salute our workers who foiled their misadventure.”

Ravik Bhattacharya

Ravik Bhattacharya is the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. Over 20 years of experience in the media industry and covered politics, crime, major incidents and issues, apart from investigative stories in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Andaman Nicobar islands. Ravik won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for political reporting. Ravik holds a bachelor degree with English Hons from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University and a PG diploma in mass communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik started his career with The Asian Age and then moved to The Statesman, The Telegraph and Hindustan Times. ... Read More

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More

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Mamata Banerjee at Martyrs’ Day rally: BJP won’t get full majority in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

The event, which was disrupted for half an hour due to heavy rain, was held after two years in the wake of Covid-19.

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