Mamata Banerjee dares Amit Shah: Take on Didi later, fight nephew first

Hitting back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP for accusing her of dynasty politics and preferential treatment towards her ‘bhaipo’ (nephew), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday challenged Shah to first contest against her nephew Abhishek Banerjee before thinking of fighting her.

Addressing a party rally in Pailan in the South 24 Parganas district, TMC chief Banerjee said (her nephew) Abhishek could have taken the “easy route of being an MP by choosing to be a Rajya Sabha member but he fought the Lok Sabha election and got the people’s mandate”.

“Day and night, they are talking about Didi-Bhatija. I challenge Amit Shah, contest against Abhishek Banerjee first and then me,” she said.

Banerjee also referred to Jay Shah, BCCI secretary and son of Home Minister Shah.

“How come your son (Jay) became a part of the cricket administration and made hundreds of crores of rupees,” she asked at the rally in Pailan. She also challenged the home minister to get Jay Shah into politics.

Ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, Banerjee has repeatedly been targeted for allegedly “elevating” her nephew through TMC ranks.

Several BJP leaders have claimed that Abhishek Banerjee will eventually be made the CM (candidate) of West Bengal.

Banerjee exuded confidence that her party would break all records of past elections in the state, and win the highest number of seats in the upcoming polls.

Banerjee also alleged the bomb attack on state minister Jakir Hossain was part of a conspiracy as certain people were “pressuring” him to switch over to another party.

Banerjee, who went to the SSKM hospital to inquire after his condition following Wednesday’s incident, slammed the railways for its “lack lustre” way of functioning.