Centre failed to build AIIMS at Raiganj: Trinamool

Raiganj: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Chandrima Bhattacharya addressing a gathering here accused the Centre of not setting up AIIMS in Raiganj.

“The BJP did not want AIIMS in Raiganj. AIIMS was approved in 2009 for Bengal when the TMC government was not in power in Bengal.

The CPI(M) did not provide land for AIIMS here. The BJP-led Centre came to power in 2014. They wanted land from the state government on short notice. Our land was ready at Kalyani in Nadia. So we provided Centre land at Kalyani for AIIMs. The Centre did not want land in Raiganj. If they want another AIIMS in Raiganj, we are ready to provide land for this purpose. But they will not build AIIMS for the people of North Bengal,” alleged Bhattacharya.

She stated that the state government has already set up medical colleges and hospitals in most of the districts including Raiganj in North Dinajpur in North Bengal.

“Residents are getting advanced health care facilities there,” she said. She was addressing a workshop held at Najmu Mancha in Kaliyaganj on Monday.

Bhattacharya directed women TMC members to meet the voters in the rural belt highlighting the developmental programmes of the state, including Laxmir Bhandar and Swastha Sathi. She stated that TMC will win a good number of seats, including Raignaj, from North Bengal.

Meanwhile, Panchu Biswas, a Congress member of Kamlabari II Gram Panchayat in Raiganj along with more than five hundred of his followers joined the TMC. Krishna Kalyani , TMC candidate of Raiganj handed over the TMC flag in on Monday afternoon. “TMC has now become stronger in Kamlabari II GP than other parties,” claimed Kalyani.