Only BJP can bring change in Bengal, says Amit Shah

Kolkata: Vowing to oust the Mamata Banerjee government from West Bengal in 2019, BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday predicted that the Trinamul Congress’ rule was nearing its end. With the BJP slogan “Ebar Bangla (Now Bengal)” on his lips to bring change, he declared that the BJP will sweep the Lok Sabha (LS) elections next year in more than 22 seats out of 42 constituencies.

Addressing a BJP rally in three slain party workers’ memory at Balarampur in Purulia on the last day of his two-day visit, Mr Shah said, “The noise from here should reach the ears of the Mamata Banerjee government in Kolkata. I just prayed to Maa Tara at Tarapeath to bless the BJP workers with so much power that we can uproot the Mamata Banerjee government from power here.”

Referring to BJP’s victory-run in 19 states he elaborated, “If this government thinks that it would continue to stay in power by resorting to terror and violence then I challenge that our workers’ sacrifice will not go in vain. It will ensure your (read: Mamata) rule will not continue for long. If Bengal has to be developed, a change has to be brought by eliminating the chit-fund business, cattle-smuggling, bomb-making and infilltration.”

Mr Shah underlined, “Only the BJP can bring that change. Only its government can bring development here. No one else can. The Lok Sabha polls of 2019 will snatch away the sleep of the present government here. In 2014 the BJP was at 14th position with two seats. Now it has come up to second position. But in 2019 elections the BJP will bag the first position here by winning more than 22 seats.”

He added, “Apart from 22 there is also Purulia which I kept out of counting on Wednessday as I was yet to visit here then. So if it is included also, our tally will be 23.”

The BJP president also bantered Ms Banerjee’s recent bonhomie with other political parties at the national level to form Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) against the BJP in the coming LS polls.

He mentioned, “Mamataji has now been in talks with some others to build Mahagatbandhan. I want to tell her: you form it of course. We also want an election to be held freely and fairly. We have no objection to Mahagatbandhan. First of all you (read Mamata) should take care of Bengal because your are losing ground.” He noted that the BJP had once helped the Trinamul also.

Mr Shah also lashed out at the Trinamul accusing it of killing 20 BJP workers and attacking others in the state. He pointed out, “Panchayat Elections mean polling in the villages for their administration. It is not meant for deciding any government in Kolkata. Mamata Banerjee had no threat to her chair. Our candidates only wanted to contest the polls in small panchayat seats.”

Mr Shah alleged, “But they were not allowed to file their nominations. Around two crores voters were not also allowed to cast their ballots. When the election was held, the BJP still won at many places. But three young workers of ours were hacked to death brutally by the miscreants backed by the Trinamul.”

He noted that the BJP’s win in around 7,000 gram panchayats has signalled who would come to power next in the state.

Mr Shah argued that when the Trinamul came to power, the state’s debt was pegged around Rs 2 lakh crores.

Now the figure has shot up to around Rs 3.50 lakh crores in past seven years’ rule by them, he claimed taking potshots at the Trinamool’s slogan: Maa Mati Manush.

The BJP chief also alleged the syndicates run by the Trinamul cleaned around Rs 3.60 lakh crores in funds sent to the Mamata government by the Modi government for the development of the state.

According to him, the misrule of the state government has prevented the Central government from implementing its schemes in the state.