Would be happy if BJP’s downfall starts with K’taka, says Mamata
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee once again gave a clarion call on Thursday for the ouster of BJP which she hopes may start with the Karnataka Assembly polls.
Banerjee said she would be happy if BJP’s “downfall” starts from Karnataka where Assembly polls are scheduled to be held on May 10.
“Sooner the BJP is voted out of power, the better it is for the nation. Don’t vote for BJP in the Karnataka Assembly polls; vote for any other party you like. I will be happy if BJP’s downfall starts with Karnataka,” she said.
Banerjee was addressing a mammoth rally organised in Malda’s English Bazar on the 10th day of the party’s mass outreach programme — Trinamool-e Janajowar.
This is for the first time that the Trinamool chief joined the newly introduced mass outreach programme.
“The wave of Trinamool-e Nabajowar will wash away the Opposition. They will not be able to find ground. People of all religions and communities have gathered here today. The campaign is a process to awaken the people and include them in discussions,” Banerjee said.
She accused the saffron party of maligning the Hindu religion for its own interests.
“BJP has destroyed the spirituality in Hinduism,” she added. Banerjee also hit out at the Centre over the scuffle between Delhi Police and protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar. She also criticised the way the Centre is sending Central teams to the state.
“How many Central teams have been sent to Delhi after a showdown by Delhi Police on the wrestlers? The agitating wrestlers were assaulted by police in New Delhi last night. The BJP should clarify its stand. They have sent 151 Central teams to Bengal. No BJP workers were killed in Bengal. It was Trinamool Congress supporters who died. I don’t do politics over death,” Banerjee told the gathering.
She once again alleged aggression of the Centre and BSF in the border areas. “BSF has added its reach up to a 50 km radius from the border. It’s a ploy of the BJP to force the villagers to join the BJP. I would urge people to form area organisations to thwart this BJP move,” Banerjee said.
On corruption, she hit out at BJP saying: “The ones who are stealing the money, they are the ones calling others thieves. BJP has engaged in monumental loot. They’ve sold the country to a few people. BJP leaders should first answer what happened in Madhya Pradesh during the Vyapam scam where over 40 people were murdered during the probe.
“We are setting up a huge airport in Malda. Many would get jobs. Clusters are being set up for creating employment,” she remarked.
Speaking about land erosion, Banerjee said: “Nothing has been done by the successive governments at the Centre to check erosion along the banks of Hooghly. Nothing was done in the past 100 years to check erosion. I have met Prime Minister 7 to 8 times to place our demands. We were told that around Rs 700 crore would be given but nothing happened.”
She once again assured the people in Malda that no NRC will be taken place in Bengal.
“NRC will not be implemented here in Bengal. You have nothing to worry about. I am the guarantor. They (BJP) are searching for various papers. They will declare you a foreigner if they don’t find papers. They will send people to camps like they did in Assam. I will not let it happen here,” Banerjee asserted.
Addressing the gathering, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said: “It is not just any other campaign. It’s an exercise to be amongst the people and take their opinion. It is an auspicious and special day for all of us. We have with us AITC chairperson Mamata Banerjee.”
He added: “Trinamool Congress’ government in Bengal still has three years of tenure left. We are confident that even in 2026, people will select Mamata Banerjee as their Chief Minister and Trinamool as their government.”
Abhishek had embarked on the Jana Sanjog Yatra for the past two months and is presently in the North Bengal region taking part in various programmes for connecting with the locals at the grassroots level to strengthen the party’s organisation across the North Bengal region. Sanjog Yatra, along with Grambanglar Motamot, is a part of Bengal’s ruling party initiative, Trinamool-e Nabajowar, to try and galvanize the party’s support base ahead of the rural polls this year.
