Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday claimed that the people of West Bengal had decided to vote out the ruling Trinamool Congress, with four phases of polling remaining in the state.
“Didi (West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) is getting angrier and anxious by the day,” Modi said at a rally in Bardhaman district. “Do you know why? Because the TMC has been wiped out in just half the elections.”
Drawing a reference from cricket, the prime minister said that the voters in Nandigram had “clean bowled” Banerjee, who had contested the seat against aide-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari. He reiterated the Bharatiya Janata Party’s criticism of Banerjee for promoting her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee.
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“Didi was ready to hand over the captaincy of her team to her nephew,” Modi said. “But the people got an air of her intentions and skittled them.”
He also accused the West Bengal chief minister of instigating people against the central security forces. “If you (Banerjee) want to get angry, direct your anger at me...If you want to abuse, abuse me but do not insult the identity of Bengal,” the prime minister said.
He claimed that the Trinamool Congress laid faith in the principle of “divide and rule,” while the BJP believed in “unite and serve.”
“TMC has followed the path of harass Ma (mother), loot Maati (land) and hurt Maanush (people),” Modi said, taking a dig at Trinamool Congress’ slogan of “Maa, Maati, Maanush.”
The prime minister made a case for the BJP, repeating the party’s slogan of a “double engine government” if they ruled at the state and the Centre.
“The double engine government will function at double the speed and result in double the development,” Modi said.
