“They Can Arrest Me, I Will Fight Elections From Jail & Still Win," Says Mamata Banerjee

Mamata in the rally dared the BJP to arrest her, calling the party as “biggest curse of the nation”.

Bankura: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a public meeting, at Sunuk Pahari in Bankura district, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020. (PTI Photo)(PTI25-11-2020_000127A) *** Local Caption ***

West Bengal: Trinamool Congress President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched her campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections that are due to be held in 2021 on Wednesday, in Bankura district of the state, said that even if the BJP locks her up in jail, she would emerge as the winner. She also accused the BJP of offering money to her party’s MLAs to defect from the TMC. Mamata in the rally dared the BJP to arrest her, calling the party as “biggest curse of the nation”. "The BJP is not a political party but garbage of lies. Whenever elections arrive, they bring up the issue of Narada (sting operation) and Saradha (scam) to intimidate TMC (Trinamool Congress) leaders," she said in her speech. "But let me tell them very clearly, I am not afraid of the BJP or its agencies. If they have the guts, they can arrest me and put me behind the bars. I will fight elections from jail and ensure the victory of the TMC," her speech quoted. "They are calling TMC workers and offering money. They are saying, we will give you 2 crores, come over They are telling an MLA, I will give you 15 lakhs now, 15 lakhs later. Is this a political party? They are a disgrace," she further said. Citing the example of Lalu Yadav in Bihar elections, the two-time CM of the state said even though Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav was jailed, he ensured his party fared well. "Even Lalu Prasad Yadav has been put behind bars but still he has ensured his party's good performance. The victory of the BJP (in Bihar) is through manipulation and not through popular mandate," she said. After Amit Shah’s visit to the western district of the state earlier this month, Mamata Banerjee chose Bankura to start her election campaign for her first rally since March earlier this year. Targeting the communists of joining hands with the BJP, to avoid arrest in the Sharda scam, Banerjee recalled the political violence that happened during the left regime. She also stated that the Left of the past is now the new BJP. The TMC chief without naming anyone said that there are some fence-sitters in the state that are in the illusion that the BJP will come to power in the state. "Few people are under the illusion that they (BJP) will come to power, so some people are trying to take a chance. But I want to say this clearly, there is neither any chance nor 'by-chance' for the BJP to come to power. We will again return to power with a bigger mandate,” she said. The state of West Bengal is due for assembly elections that are to be held next year, the 294-seat assembly, in the last elections that were held in the year 2016 TMC won a majority of 211 seats. Mamata Banerjee came to power in 2011 when her party won 185 seats, marking the end of left after 45 years of constant rule. Currently, the TMC has 13 MPs in Rajya Sabha and 22 in Lok Sabha.