BJP won't win single seat in Bengal, says Mamata

Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday urged BJP's sister organisations to not support Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party chief Amit Shah during the national polls. Addressing an election rally here organised by Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, Banerjee said the BJP won't get a single seat in Bengal and the party won't cross the 125-mark in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

"BJP has sister organisations, I would like to request them that if you love the country, please don't support Narendra Modi and Amit Shah," the Bengal chief minister said.

"This is a special election. There are not many people to fight for the country, please vote for Chandrababu Naidu. Modi and Shah bully everyone," she added.

Taking on the BJP, the Trinamool Congress chief said the BJP will not get a single seat in Bengal.

"In 2014, Modi got 21 out of 119 seats in Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal that was your best time," Banerjee said, adding that the BJP will not get more than 125 seats in this election.

"In UP, he got 73 seats when the Samajwadi Party and the BSP fought alone. Now they have come together. In Odisha too they won't get any seats," she said. Banerjee also challenged Modi for an open debate and attacked the prime minister for not addressing any press conference during his tenure.

"Modi didn't address a presser in five years. He reads from a teleprompter and says he has a 56-inch chest," the TMC supremo quipped.

She said the country needs a prime minister who doesn't differentiate between Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

"Modi said demonetisation would curb terrorism, but it is maximum under his government," she said.

Supporting Arvind Kejriwal's demand for full statehood for Delhi, Banerjee said the issue needs to be resolved.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the "most corrupt" government since Independence, and along with BJP chief Amit Shah "ruined" the country in the last five years.

The Delhi chief minister alleged that an emergency-like situation is prevailing in the country.

"Modi is creating problems for Kejriwal, Mamata and me because we work for people, people are ready to send you to Gujarat," Naidu said. See P7