Will win polls by a two-thirds majority, says Mamata

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Thursday—Bengali New Year day—pointed out that she was going to form government in Bengal for the third consecutive term with a two-thirds majority and also urged Election Commission (EC) to wrap up the last three phases of polls in "one go" due to the surge in Covid cases.

"We were against the eight-phase election from the first day when in other states it is taking place in one to two phases. It was an insult to Bengal and done as per the mondal committees of the BJP. It would be good for TMC if the election takes place in four phases. But on humanitarian ground, we want that the last three phases to getting wrapped up on one day after the fifth phase on April 17, with only 48 hours left for the election to take place on Saturday," Banerjee said —in an interview to a Bengali news channel—after holding BJP responsible for the surge in Covid cases in Bengal as she alleged that the saffron brigade of bringing outsiders with the motive to "terrorise people and distribute money".

She clearly stated that her party would not have any problem if the EC finalises April 26 as the date for the election of all the last three phases in one go by giving them seven to eight days after the fifth phase.

Raising her concerns over the Covid situation in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, Banerjee said that she is receiving information of walls getting erected around crematoriums to hide the cremation of people who died due to Covid.

While replying to a question on TMC's poll prospect in the ensuing Assembly polls, Banerjee said: "This election is all about saving the prestige of Bengal and its people will never let it get governed by Gujarat. Mothers and sisters along with the young generation is extending us all support and we are confident of winning the election by a two-thirds majority."

Stating that the life of people is more important than politics, Banerjee raised the question that why the EC did not properly ensure the implementation of pandemic norms in the first four phases of the election. "Now it would not be right if only street-corner meetings are allowed for the remaining phases," she said when the elections are still left in 158 seats mainly in South Bengal.

Claiming that BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya is well aware of the coal scam, Banerjee lambasted BJP for engaging Central agencies to harass her party's leaders. Disclosing the reason behind visiting Trinamool Youth Congress president Abhishek Banerjee's house on the day of the CBI raid, she said: "It happened coincidentally." The incident had shaken Abhishek's seven-year-old daughter when her teacher disconnected her telephone which she makes every morning to wish her. Banerjee further alleged that BJP had hatched a conspiracy to get the couple divorced.

She also raised the allegation of her phone calls being tapped for which a machine has also been brought from Israel. Accusing BJP of doing polarisation politics in Bengal, she said: "I still believe that people of Bengal are together. Everyone stay here as a member of one family that cannot be broken."

Once again stating that she will win from Nandigram despite BJP having rigged 10 booths, Banerjee said: "They would have rigged 70 booths if I had not remained seated outside the booth at Boyal."