With reference to Mahabharata and Durga Puja, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee Started his campaign on Wednesday for the Bhabnipur assembly by-election to be held on 30 September. Reiterating TMC’s hugely popular game, he told Trinamool Congress workers and supporters, “We have to play and win… we are not rats but tigers.” Hobe (Game On) slogan and took several digs at Bharatiya Janata Party. The TMC chief accused the BJP of conspiring against him.
“He is more evil than Duryodhana and Dushasana. Because of their conspiracy, I had to contest (from Nandigram). But I am glad that I am back at my home in Bhabnipur.”
The TMC president is contesting the bypoll as she has to be elected to the state assembly within six months of taking over as the chief minister on May 5. She lost the Nandigram assembly seat to her former hero Suvendu Adhikari, who is now with the BJP. State elections were held this year. Bhabnipur has been a stronghold of Trinamool and before that Mamata had won twice. In response to the challenge of the BJP, he decided to fight from Nandigram this time. Trinamool leader Shobhandeb Chattopadhyay, who won from Bhawanipur seat this time, has resigned to make way for Mamata.
In 2016, the TMC chief won the Bhabnipur seat with nearly 48 per cent vote share, up from 77.46 per cent in 2011.
Mamata expressed confidence that she would win again this time on her “home turf”, but urged people to come out and vote as there could be a “conspiracy”.
“We have to focus on high turnout. This election is a challenge and it will have an impact on the 2024 general elections.”
However, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which were won by the BJP, TMC’s numbers were not flattering. Trinamool led by a margin of around 3,000 votes in Bhawanipur assembly constituency and was trailing by 5,000 votes in the adjoining Rashbehari constituency.
Responding to her remark, Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, “Whether she (Mamata) lioness or tigress, we have seen in Nandigram. He left Bhabnipur to contest from Nandigram. Meanwhile, TMC workers started hurling bombs at the residence of BJP MP Arjun Singh this morning. We can see how scared they are.”
In his first public meeting before the by-election, the TMC chief focused on three things.
Nandigram line
Mamata said though the matter is sub-judice as the CM has challenged Nandigram’s decision in court, she alleged that the BJP brought goons from outside during the elections.
True, I lost in Nandigam…But I have also approached the court alleging electoral malpractice…if there was no prima facie evidence, the matter would not have been accepted in the court…VVPATs at many places Machines were tampered with, EVMs were vandalized,” she said.
Mamata told party workers that there should be no complacency for the bypolls and assigned roles to ministers for each ward to ensure maximum push.
‘TMC hunting agencies’
The Trinamool chief alleged that since losing the West Bengal election, and his party trying to expand its influence across the country, the BJP at the Center is panicking and is therefore using investigative agencies to harass TMC leaders. has been Why are people being called to Delhi when the cases are from Kolkata, he said, adding that his nephew and party leader Abhishek is being questioned repeatedly over allegations of corruption.
“They name Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee (TMC leaders) in the Narada case. But the real culprit is not named. Everyone knows what is going on in this country and who is pulling the strings,” he said, taking a dig at former Trinamool leader Suvendu Adhikari, who was exposed to a video of a sting operation carried out by Narada news portal founder Mathew Samuel. During this he was also involved in the scam. Ahead of the 2016 assembly elections, 13 TMC ministers and leaders were allegedly shown accepting bribes in return for favours.
Mamata also mentioned how top leaders of other opposition organizations like Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Samajwadi Party are also harassed allegedly by the BJP using central agencies.
Durga Puja Controversy
The BJP on Tuesday complained to the Election Commission that Mamata Banerjee has violated the model code of conduct for the elections as the TMC government announced a grant of Rs 50,000 each to all 36,000 Durga Puja clubs in the state. The party alleged that the announcement, which has actually become an annual affair for the ruling party, was made to sway the electoral process.
“At times they say that I stop Durga Puja celebrations. Now that I am supporting Pooja, they are going to complain to the Election Commission…I know the rules. They are completely dumbfounded,” said Mamata.
TMC is now trying to corner the BJP on the issue that the saffron party is trying to stop the state government from supporting Durga Puja celebrations and it is an insult to the goddess.
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