Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday asserted that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre will not return to power. In reference to a BJP woman leader’s statement that they would stop ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ in a few months from now, Banerjee once again said that nobody will be able to stop it.
Banerjee also challenged PM Modi saying: “Let PM hold 100 Sabhas! Even he won’t be able to stop my victory with a margin of 4 lakh votes; you have ED, CBI - I have the ‘Brahmastra’ of people’s support.
While addressing a rally in Kultali in South 24-Parganas in support of Trinamool Congress candidate from Jaynagar Pratima Mandal, Banerjee said: “A right lesson has to be taught to the BJP which always makes empty promises. The saffron party has stopped making payments to Bengal under various central schemes like 100-day work and housing programmes. The electors of the country will teach a lesson to the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.”
Banerjee blamed the BJP for “making the lives of poor people miserable”. “Central government every year takes away Rs 1.20 lakh crore from Bengal and the state owes Rs 1.65 lakh crore from the Centre on account of various schemes. Though the Centre is “not making payments” under various schemes, the Bengal government is “meeting up all these monetary dues of the poor from its exchequer.”
Referring to “Lakshmir Bhandar” scheme, Banerjee said: “The state government, through various social welfare schemes like the Laskhmir Bhandar, is making efforts to help the people of Bengal financially.”
The state government, through various social welfare schemes like the Laskhmir Bhandar, is making efforts to help the people of West Bengal financially,” he said. ‘Lakhir Bhandar’ is a popular welfare scheme of the TMC government, which provides a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for general-category women and Rs 1,200 for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women in the state.
Banerjee alleged that under the present dispensation at the Centre, the “poor are becoming poorer and the rich getting richer”. He claimed that the INDIA bloc will form the government and that the Trinamool Congress will play a decisive role. Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the BJP’s Tamluk candidate and retired Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay for his “objectionable” comment on his party supremo Mamata Banerjee. “Also see how Tamluk BJP candidate Gangopadhay had made obnoxious comments against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP should be thrown away into the Bay of Bengal,” Banerjee said.