Published 15:29 IST, March 2nd 2020
Mamata Banerjee slams Amit Shah's '2/3rd majority' claim, hints at BJP's 'secret' pact
Insinuating that BJP was targeting only TMC-held seats, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hinted that BJP had a strategic understanding with Congress and CPM.
Speaking at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a jibe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his assertion that BJP would form the government in the state in 2021 with a two-thirds majority. She raised questions on why BJP was only targeting 200 out of 294 seats in the West Bengal Assembly.
Insinuating that the game plan of BJP was to only focus on winning seats held by TMC, she indirectly hinted at the possibility of the BJP forging a strategic understanding with CPM and Congress. While TMC has 210 seats in the Assembly, BJP ranks a distant fourth in the state Assembly with 14 members.
'BJP will form a government with two-thirds majority'
Addressing a massive rally at the Shaheed Minar ground in Kolkata on March 1, Amit Shah kickstarted the West Bengal poll campaign. Thanking the people of the state for giving 18 out of 42 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he asked those present at the rally to spread the message- 'Aar Noy Anyay' (No more injustice) to each and every household in the state. Furthermore, he backed the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and promised that BJP would realise the dream of 'Sonar Bangla' after forming the government in the state.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked, "The BJP will form a government with two-thirds majority in the next Assembly elections in West Bengal in 2021. In the 2019 general elections, BJP got 2 crore 30 lakh votes as compared to 87 lakh votes that it got in 2014. Due to the blessings of the people of Bengal, BJP crossed the 300 mark in 2019."
Mass outreach programme
Banerjee launched a massive outreach programme ‘Banglar Gorbo Mamata’ (Bengal’s pride Mamata) on Monday. Reports indicate that this initiative has been designed keeping in mind the upcoming municipal and Assembly polls. As part of this programme, over one lakh TMC workers would reach out to the people on how Banerjee is key for the growth and development of the state and preserving communal harmony.
Updated 15:29 IST, March 2nd 2020