KOLKATA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the BJP would form the government in West Bengal by winning 170 of 294 Assembly seats, ending the Trinamool Congress regime led by Mamata Banerjee.
Sharpening his attack, he said even a victory in Bhabanipore alone would bring change in the state. Shah made the remarks at an election rally at Hazra Crossing, about a kilometre from Banerjee’s residence on Harish Chatterjee Street in Kolkata.
“I am telling the people of Bhabanipur that the change in power of entire Bengal is in your hands. My appeal to you (people) to vote for BJP to win every assembly seat one by one, ensure victory in 170 constituencies and thus the change will come in the state. But the most important one is Bhabanipur and the change will come automatically if we win just that,” Shah said.
He urged voters to support Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA from Nandigram in East Midnapore, who has been fielded against Mamata Banerjee in the state’s most high-profile constituency.
“Suvendu da had wanted to contest from Nandigram, where he had defeated Mamata Banerjee in the 2021 Assembly elections, but I told him to defeat her on her home turf, Bhabanipur,” the Union Home Minister said in a 10-minute address around noon.
He later joined a roadshow for the nomination filing of four BJP candidates –- Suvendu Adhikari, Swapan Dasgupta, Shatarupa and Santosh Pathak –- fielded from Bhabanipur, Rashbehari, Ballygunj and Chowringhee constituencies, respectively.
“I came here to participate in filing of nomination papers programme particularly for Suvendu da and will stay in the city for 15 days during the elections period. I am requesting you with folded hands to vote for Suvendu so that he can win with a huge margin. Mamata will be defeated and no Trinamool Congress hooligans can prevent the change in power this time in Bengal,” he added.
Once again Shah attacked Mamata Banerjee government on different issues starting from hooliganism, women security concern, infiltrations allegedly changing demography of Bengal, unemployment and lawlessness among other things.
He alleged that infiltration has increased to such an extent that Bengal's existence is at stake.
He also accused the TMC regime of turning West Bengal into a lawless state, with incidents of firing and bombing occurring almost every day.
“A storm is raging everywhere in Bengal; a storm for Poriborton (change) and say goodbye to Mamata Banerjee,” Shah said.
“There is corruption everywhere. There is syndicate raj everywhere. Time to usher in Sonar Bangla (golden Bengal) as dreamt by Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore, Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay and others," he said.
After addressing the meeting, a truck carrying Amit Shah, four BJP candidates and state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya set off for the Survey Building, where the contestants filed their nominations while greeting party supporters along the route.
Trouble began when the vehicle reached near Mamata Banerjee’s residence, where local TMC supporters took to the streets, raised anti-BJP slogans and waved black flags, blaring loudspeakers.
The situation turned violent as supporters of both the parties clashed, prompting police to intervene and disperse the crowd.