'Creating communal tension Mamata's policy': Dharmendra Pradhan lashes out at Bengal CM

KOLKATA: Ahead of the third phase of polling in West Bengal, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scared with the support people are showing to BJP and accused her of doing minority appeasement in the state. He alleged that creating communal tension has been her policy.

Speaking to media in Kolkata after offering prayers at Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said, "The Chief Minister of West Bengal is scared with the support people showed to BJP in the first two phases. They will do the same in this phase too. She has resorted to using abusive language."

"On the one hand Mamata Banerjee considers 'Jai Shree Ram' as abuse, and on other hand, she is asking the minorities to vote for her. Creating communal tension has become her policy," he added.

Pradhan is in Kolkata for campaigning before the third phase of polling said people of Bengal voted for BJP in the first two-phase and will do the same in the third phase.

He also talked about petrol, diesel prices in the country and said with a decrease in crude oil prices in international markets, fuel prices in India have also started reducing now and they will reduce further in the coming days.

"Petrol, diesel and LPG prices have started reducing now and they will reduce further in the coming days. We had stated earlier also that we will transfer benefit from the decrease in crude oil prices in the international market to the end customers," he said.

Pradhan also held a roadshow in Kolkata today, before the campaigning for the third phase ends in the evening.

Polling for the first two phases of the West Bengal polls was held on March 27 and April 1 respectively. The next phase of polling will take place on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.