BETHUADAHARI: TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the BJP had entered into a "tacit understanding" with the Congress and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, claiming that many IAS and IPS officers from West Bengal had been sent to the southern state as poll observers, hampering development work in the state.
She claimed that, though five states are going to the polls simultaneously, the Election Commission transferred around 500 officers in West Bengal in comparison to a handful in other poll-bound states.
Banerjee said she would tour the country to forge opposition unity against the saffron party after the Assembly elections.
Addressing a poll rally in Nadia district in support of party candidates, the CM claimed that several officers of the West Bengal cadre had been sent to Tamil Nadu as observers by the Election Commission following the announcement of Assembly polls.
"You (BJP) must be having some tacit understanding with the Congress and Stalin," she alleged.
"They (BJP) are placing their own officers in prominent positions in West Bengal to ensure their free movement," she claimed.
The main contest in Tamil Nadu is between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) -- which includes Congress, DMDK and VCK -- and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the AIADMK with BJP, PMK, AMMK and others as allies.
Asserting that the TMC will target the BJP in Delhi after winning the Assembly polls in Bengal, Banerjee said they will take along all parties for that purpose if needed.
"I will tour the country to stitch together opposition unity," she said.
The TMC supremo claimed that the voter list on which the BJP came to power in 2024 was discarded three months before the Assembly elections in West Bengal.
"You (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) should resign, the home minister, the whole government should resign," Banerjee asserted.
"Keep in mind that if you don't, people will make you do so," she said.
Banerjee alleged that if the BJP comes to power in Bengal, it will put restrictions on fish, meat and egg consumption.
"Due to the SIR exercise, 250 people died in Bengal, and you (BJP) must take responsibility for that. I don't blame the Election Commission, they are only parrots like the CBI and the ED," she said.
The chief minister said the TMC does not support the gherao of judicial officers in Malda's Mothabari, and alleged that the BJP had benefited from the division of votes in Bihar with the help of AIMIM.
"We do not support any attack, but the officer who got the mastermind arrested has been sent to Tamil Nadu," she alleged, referring to IPS officer Supratim Sarkar being deputed as an observer.
Banerjee also questioned the citizenship process, asking why those who had been in India for a short time were granted citizenship while long-time residents faced deletion from voter lists.
"We want to see a united India," she said.
Banerjee alleged that Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal went to Nandigram on Sunday, accompanied by BJP supporters.
Urging voters to respond through the ballot, Banerjee claimed that around 24 lakh names were restored in the electoral rolls due to her efforts.
Maintaining that her government would not allow detention camps in the state, she said, "We will scuttle any move to push out people from Bengal through NRC."
Banerjee said she would file her nomination from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency on April 8.
Addressing a TMC rally at Samudragarh in Purba Bardhaman district, the chief minister said this election is different from the previous ones and alleged that the BJP engineered the deletion of a large number of names from the voter list through the SIR exercise.
"BJP leaders have used AI to delete the names of voters en masse; this will be avenged," she warned.
Claiming that the BJP has stopped central funds for various welfare projects in the state, Banerjee said, "Such moves will not stop development work in Bengal."
"I urge the people of Bengal to avenge the SIR-related harassment by defeating the BJP," Banerjee said.
Speaking at a poll rally at Santipur in Nadia district, the TMC chief said the party celebrates all festivals, whether it be Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Eid or Christmas.
"But the BJP is trying to create division among the people in the name of religion. Teach them a lesson," Banerjee said.
Mocking the BJP over its promise to give Rs 3,000 to every woman in the state replacing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme where Rs 1,500 is given to general caste and Rs 1,700 to women from the scheduled caste and tribes, Banerjee said, "You will instead give bulldozer."
The chief minister said her government introduced 105 welfare schemes for the people.
Asserting that this election is a "dharmayudh" (crusade), she said in this case, dharma is that of humanity, that of living with all.
"Your (BJP) dharma is of dividing people, but my dharma is of unity, yours is of taking away voting rights while mine is to restore those," the TMC chief said.