Mamata: BJP trying to wedge divide, won’t allow it to happen here

Mamata, who was injured during an emergency landing of the chopper in which she was travelling near Siliguri last week, will be delivering virtual addresses at all the rallies for the July 8 rural elections.

Targeting the BJP over price rise, she said: “The BJP government has taken the price of gas cylinders up to around Rs 1,200. Yet, during the election period, they continue to make false promises… The BJP’s term is coming to an end, the ‘double engine’ government concept has derailed.”

Defending local district unit chief Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by CBI in connection with a cattle smuggling case, Mamata hit out at the BJP. “In Birbhum, Anubrata Mondal and his daughter, Sukanya, have been put behind bars. If they are guilty of corruption, why don’t the BJP’s central agencies prove it? They are unable to prove it, and have detained Anubrata Mondal so that he does not work for Trinamool and remains away from the panchayat election process,” she said.

Meanwhile, TMC’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee hit out at the BJP government at the Centre, accusing it of not paying the state’s dues. “West Bengal’s rightful dues are being sent to (BJP-ruled states) Gujarat and UP for the development of those states so that the BJP remains in power. On the other hand, in the past 11 years, the West Bengal government’s PWD, PHE, Panchayat and Irrigation departments have invested Rs 5,500 crore in various projects for the development of Purulia. This shows that Didi (Mamata Banerjee) keeps her word, while PM (Narendra) Modi fails in keeping his promises,” the TMC MP from Diamond Harbour said while campaigning for his party at Baghmundi in Purulia district.

“It has been nine years of Modi government. I want to ask the people of Purulia whether any developmental work has been undertaken by your MP in these past four years. If you show me one instance of any developmental work, I give you my word, I will not come to Purulia and seek your vote again. On the other hand, we have seen how Mamata Banerjee’s government has made sure that Duare Sarkar reaches all the 3,192 booths in Purulia,” he said. “The BJP government is not just anti-people, they are anti-poor, anti-farmer, anti-adivasi, anti-Kurmi and anti-Dalit,” he added.