In poll-bound West Bengal, TMC MP says 'state will drown in Ganga if BJP comes to power'

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday said that if the BJP manages to come to power in West Bengal, the state will drown in river Ganga, as all central government projects are flawed and have been unsuccessful.

Addressing a press conference, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy mocked BJP for its call to turn the state into "Sonar Bangla" (golden Bengal) if it wins the assembly elections, contending that the BJP-led government at the Centre has barely fulfilled any of its promises. "If this party (BJP) comes to power, then surely Bengal will drown in the Ganga, as all programmes and projects of the Centre have typically flopped, bearing no results," he alleged.

Criticising the Centre for demonetisation, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in 2016 promised that black money will be brought back to the country and that each person will receive ₹ 15 lakh in their bank accounts. "What happened to these promises? GDP growth rate has consistently fallen, unemployment has increased and more than 100 people died while standing in queues to withdraw money from ATMs. Even Home Minister Amit Shah had said the assurance of depositing ₹ 15 lakh into bank accounts of people was a "jumla (rhetoric)", Roy said.

Roy also claimed that BJP's flagship 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' has transformed into "Beti pitao, Beti mitao'. He alleged that the law and order condition in BJP-ruled states is "horrible", as was evident during the recent incidents in UP's Hathras and Balarampur. Comparing it with West Bengal, Roy added that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has maintained peace in the state.

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West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021

While the BJP has chalked out a massive plan for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls which includes Home Minister Amit Shah visiting the state every month till the elections, Trinamool has already begun its outreach programme highlighting the welfare schemes of the Mamata Banerjee government. The TMC has also roped in former JDU VP and poll strategist Prashant Kishor for Mamata's re-election while the BJP's campaign is being headed by senior leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, under the leadership of BJP chief JP Nadda. Violence has already started in the state ahead of polls with both sides clashing wit each other. Earlier, Dilip Ghosh had also asked his BJP cadre to arm themselves with sticks and give it back to the Trinamool cadre if it comes to it. 

West Bengal assembly with 294 seats will go to polls in April-May 2021, Trinamool holds 222 seats. BJP has made major inroads in the state in the Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats and establishing itself as the major opposition force in the state. While the BJP has claimed it'll win 200 seats, the Trinamool, via Prashant Kishor has contended that the saffron party won't cross 99.

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