To stop BJP from winning, Mamata urges Left-minded voters to support TMC

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee urged Left-minded people not to waste their votes and cast them in favour of TMC to prevent BJP from coming to power in Bengal.

While releasing the manifesto 2021 at her Kalighat residence on Wednesday evening, she said: "I appeal to the Left-minded voters not to waste their votes as Left parties are not coming to power and support TMC to stop BJP from coming to power in Bengal." She also thanked the "No Vote to BJP" forum.

Calling the BJP a "high-loaded virus"— which is 'playing dirty game'— she took a dig at the BJP leaders who had described her act of addressing rallies on wheelchair 'as a drama to earn sympathy of the voters.'

"CPI (M) goons had beaten me and I was hospitalised. They hit my head with a rod. I was again hit on the foot and there is excruciating pain. But, despite that I have never given up the election battle and visited the constituencies. Only bad people can make such nasty remarks," Banerjee said.

Banerjee said BJP was an autocratic party and did not respect the feelings and sentiments of others. "They will intervene in one's religious faith and practices, food and dress habits. They will brand you as an anti-nationalist if you ask questions. I am not going to take religious lessons from them. We have taken our religious lessons from Swami Vivekananda," she said.

Banerjee said it was her firm belief that BJP would not be able to make any dent in the religious harmony of Bengal. "People from different religions, culture and faith have been staying in Bengal for generations. We believe in the philosophy of Sri Ramakrishna, which is based on religious pluralism (many views, many ways). I feel that BJP cannot destroy the religious harmony, which is the backbone of Bengal despite their best efforts."

Banerjee said the match would commence from March 27, which is the first day of the 8th phase elections and TMC would win it. Veteran party leaders Subrata Mukherjee, Subrata Bakshi, party's state president and Abhishek Banerjee, president of Trinamool Youth Congress were present during the press meet to release the election manifesto.