Asserting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s exit from West Bengal is imminent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday fired a fresh salvo at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo stating her appeal to the Muslim community reflects that “minority votes are slipping out of her hands”.
Justifying his remark, he said a similar appeal to the Hindus by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would have drawn the fury of both media and the Election Commission. Continuing his outburst against the TMC chief, Prime Minister Modi said she has problems with the people sporting a ‘tilak’.
“Didi recently asked all Muslims to vote en bloc for her. It shows that the Muslim vote bank is slipping out of her hands. Had we said the same thing that all Hindus should unite, everybody would have criticised us. The EC would have sent us notices. We would have been censured,” PTI quoted Prime Minister Modi as saying while addressing an election rally Cooch Behar.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came a day after the BJP moved the Election Commission and action against the TMC chief while alleging she violated the Representation of the People’s Act by asking the Muslims to come together and vote for her party in the assembly polls.
Expressing confidence in the BJP forming the next government in West Bengal, Prime Minister Modi said the TMC supremo’s angry reactions clearly indicate she has lost the electoral battle.
Taking a jibe at Banerjee’s remark stating whether the BJP leaders predicting the party's victories were Gods or superhumans, Prime Minister Modi sarcastically said “there is no need to trouble God to find out who is losing and who is winning”.
“Janata Janardhana (public) in the form of God has given their response, it is known which way the wind is blowing,” he said.
The Prime Minister alleged that the TMC chief had hurt the self-esteem of Bengalis with her accusations that people come to his rallies for money.
He further said the ruling TMC is least concerned about welfare of the people of West Bengal.
“Didi has started a new tax in Bengal – ‘Bhaipo Service Tax’…For ten years, women, Dalits, backward classes, farmers and tea workers were subjected to injustices but you chose to be a mute spectator,” he added while urging the people to vote for change.
Prime Minister Modi also took a dig at Banerjee while referring to the remarks made by some TMC leaders that she would next lock horns with him from the Varanasi parliamentary constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“Didi is now looking for a place for herself outside Bengal,” Prime Minister Modi said, adding this proves she has accepted her defeat and is looking for another seat.
READ: TMC Complains To EC, Alleges BJP ‘Goons’ Attacked SC Candidate Sujata Mondal At Voting Booth
Prime Minister Modi also countered Banerjee’s claims that the BJP would stop all social schemes started by her government if it comes to power in West Bengal and said “if anything is stopped then that will be ‘tolabaji’ (extortion) and cut-money (bribes)”.
Voting for the West Bengal Assembly elections is being held in eight phases this time. According to reports, 78 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 5 p.m. during the ongoing voting for the third phase in the state.