Abhishek attacks BJP's 'double-engine' claim in Balurghat, challenges party on welfare schemes

Balurghat: TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday attacked the BJP over the performance of its "double-engine government" in Balurghat, claiming that despite having both an MP and an MLA from the saffron party, the constituency received no additional benefit from the Centre.

Campaigning in support of TMC candidate Arpita Ghosh in Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur district, Banerjee said the constituency was the "biggest victim" of the BJP's oft-repeated promise of a double-engine government.

"No one has tasted the so-called double-engine government more than the people of Balurghat. For more than five years, the constituency has had a BJP MP and a BJP MLA. Yet they have not brought even 10 paise of additional funds or development," he said.

Without naming Union minister and former BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, the MP of Balurghat, Banerjee said the opposition party should present a "report card" of what it had done for the constituency.

"Look at how many roads have been built under the state's Pathashree scheme, and ask them to bring their report card. Even after being in office for seven years, the BJP MP has done nothing," he alleged.

Banerjee asserted that the TMC needed to win Balurghat to ensure that the "wave of development" in West Bengal was not obstructed.

He also challenged the Narendra Modi government to compare its work in Balurghat with that of the TMC government in the state.

"Just as the people of Tapan have benefited from Yuva Sathi, the people of Balurghat have also benefited," he said.

Tapan is the adjacent assembly constituency.

Banerjee also targeted Majumdar over his remarks on increasing the amount in the 'Lakshmir Bhandar', a financial assistance scheme for women, if the BJP is voted to power.

"I challenge him to first implement such a scheme in any BJP-ruled state, where every woman in a family receives the benefit. If they can do that, I will stop campaigning for the TMC," he added.

Banerjee claimed that unlike BJP-ruled states, the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme in West Bengal covered all eligible women in a household.

He also referred to the state government's recently announced Yuva Sathi scheme and said the promised financial assistance had reached beneficiaries' bank accounts within 15 days of the announcement.

The BJP has repeatedly accused the TMC government of failing to deliver development despite being in power in the state for over a decade, while the ruling party has countered by alleging that the Centre has deprived Bengal of its dues.