‘BJP should present report card of work done in Darj in 15 yrs’
Darjeeling: “You have trusted and tried all the political parties, now give TMC a chance for two years. If you feel we have not lived up to your expectations, you can reject us in the Assembly election in 2026. We always live up to our commitments,” was TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s appeal to the voters of the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency.
Banerjee stated that it was just a matter of time before the autocratic BJP government in Delhi would definitely fall.
“We will work for the inclusion of 11 Gorkha communities in the Scheduled Tribe list. This time also if you strengthen the hands of BJP, it will be your last election,” added Banerjee.
Banerjee addressed two election campaigns on Tuesday. The first meeting was at Gosainpur in Darjeeling in support of TMC candidate Gopal Lama and the second one was in support of Shahnawaz Ali Raihan at Kaliachak in Malda.
“TMC has always been sincere towards Darjeeling. After coming to power in May 2011, the TMC immediately worked for the formation of the GTA and it came into existence in September 2011. With it came peace to the Hills,” he said.
Challenging the BJP he said: “Let Modiji or any BJP leader hold a debate with me with facts and figures. Let them state what they have done for Darjeeling in the past 10 years and we will furnish our report card. Let the public decide. BJP will not get a place to hide also,” he added.
He stated that Darjeeling has got nothing from the BJP. “What did you get in the past 15 years from the BJP? What did you get for ensuring BJP candidate Raju Bista’s victory with a huge margin in 2019? He instead went to Delhi and stopped your NREGA, housing, road, Sarva Siksha Aviyan funds. If we win, you will not have to await Delhi’s funds for housing. All those who have already applied will get the first instalment in their bank accounts from the state by December 31, 2024,” added Banerjee. Later addressing the election campaign in Malda South stated that the people of Malda have contributed a lot in strengthening the hands of Mamata Banerjee and the TMC. “We have never bowed before the autocratic, anti-Bengal Delhi government. They tried to scare us with the CBI, ED, Income Tax and NIA but we did not surrender or bow down,” stated Banerjee.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Banerjee stated: “We wanted to work out a seat sharing with the Congress so that we could remove Modi in Delhi, however, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is plotting to strengthen the hands of BJP. You will never hear him talking against the BJP.
We are the only force in Bengal fighting tooth and nail against the BJP”
Reacting to BJP’s statement that the last 10 years have been the trailer of the BJP Government and now the real movie will start, Banerjee stated: “BJP’s trailer in the past 10 years resulted in Rs 50 per liter petrol reaching Rs 100; Rs 40 diesel reaching Rs. 92...”
