Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday asserted that the INDIA bloc will win at least 315 Lok Sabha seats in the current Lok Sabha elections while the BJP will get a maximum 195 seats. Banerjee addressed two back-to-back election rallies in North 24-Parganas’ Bongaon and Noapara in support of her party candidates — Biswajit Das in Bongaon and Partha Bhowmick in Barrackpore.
On the day of the phase IV poll, Banerjee predicted that Narendra Modi would not come back to power. Banerjee said that she will ensure that the INDIA bloc comes to power this time.
“There will be no Modi in Delhi. Didi is with the people here. Didi will ensure that the INDIA Bloc comes to power at the Centre. We will help from here and ensure a united victory. Based on the numbers I received till yesterday; they will get around 190-195 seats. INDIA Bloc will get 315 seats,” Banerjee said.
TMC chief accused the Central Forces of intimidating voters on the day of the phase IV poll on Monday. “I heard that in one place voters were pressing the EVM button in favour of Trinamool Congress but the votes were going to the BJP.
“We caught them and got the EVM machines changed when voters reported that their votes were going to the BJP. In border areas, central forces used the BJP’s toto and forced villagers to vote for the BJP. We caught them in Chapra as well,” Banerjee said.
She alleged that two TMC leaders in Asansol were threatened by the BJP candidate, who said that the AITC leaders should either help the BJP or be jailed. “Our leaders denied this request. We have also kept an eye on how much has been paid off by them (BJP)”, Banerjee added.
Terming Modi’s guarantee as nothing but “guarantee 420”, Banerjee said: “In misleading advertisements, they are claiming that water has reached all houses due to Modi’s efforts. It is we who ensure that water reaches all households in Bengal. Around 70% of the resources – including money, maintenance, and land – are provided by the state government. The PM is claiming to give free electricity and cooking gas but people have not got anything. Modi’s Guarantee is nothing but Guarantee 420.”
“What we promised in our manifesto, we fulfilled A-Z following our victory in the 2021 Assembly Elections. We promise only that which we can fulfil. Modi Guarantee is no guarantee other than 420,” Banerjee said.
Banerjee once again attacked the Modi government at the Centre on National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) issues. She said that the people of the Matua community will have to fill out the applications under the CAA to get citizenship. Vowing not to allow implementation of CAA and NRC in the state, she said: “Modi ji said yesterday that CAA will be implemented in Bengal. We don’t understand that. If someone wants to apply without any conditions, we have no objection.”
“Why is your minister (Shantanu Thakur) not applying for CAA then? I challenge you to enforce NRC and Uniform Civil Code here,” she said. Banerjee further assured people saying: “Do not worry, we will not allow NRC here. This is my promise because I don’t believe in giving guarantees. I am a small person, I cannot give guarantees but I can promise you that I will not allow CAA, NRC and UCC in Bengal. I will not allow anyone to snatch away your rights. Unity, peace, prosperity, and development - this is our responsibility.”
Banerjee once again asked Prime Minister Modi not to play with the self-respect and dignity of women of the state by making “false claims” about atrocities. “Modi should keep in mind that the situation of West Bengal is not like BJP-ruled states. Don’t play with the self-respect of women, don’t hatch conspiracy by playing with the dignity of our mothers and sisters,” she said.
Incidentally, Modi in his public meetings on Sunday alleged that the TMC was trying to hide its past misdeeds in Sandeshkhali where TMC leaders were accused of sexual assault and land grab.
However, in a recently surfaced purported video, a BJP leader of Sandeshkhali was heard saying that the protests by women were staged at the behest of Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who was behind the whole conspiracy. Banerjee warned the BJP saying: “Don’t touch our women, this is not your Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh. Women in Bengal live with respect and dignity,” Banerjee said.