The last Sunday before the first round of Assembly elections saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah launching a frontal attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from twin rallies of Bankura and Egra.
Taking on Mamata’s “khela hobey” (game is in the offing) slogan, the Prime Minister said the Trinamool Congress’ “khela” only revolved around corruption, syndicate and tolabaji (extortion) but that khela will not be allowed to continue once the BJP comes to power in Bengal. The PM was addressing a rally at Bankura. Poking fun at the CM, he said, ‘Didi …. O … Didi we know that you are a big player but I can assure you that enough is enough, there will be no more khela of corruption, syndicate and tolabaji as the BJP will bring in the real change in Bengal, not the one brought by you 10 years ago.’
Pointing at the large crowd he said, ‘The presence of so many people shows that ‘Didi jacchhee … BJP ashcchhe (Didi is going BJP is coming). Vouching for the ‘ashol poriborton’ (real hange) he said that ‘real change will mean a Government which is poor-friendly, where development is the sole agenda and not corruption, where the corrupt and tolabaj are sent to jail.
In a sorry reference to the languages being used by various politicians that inspired poll graffitis showing the Chief Minister playing football with the Prime Minister’s head Modi said, ‘Election posters are showing you (Mamata) are playing football with my head … but my point is you can kick my head I will not protest ... you can keep your foot on my head I will not protest but I will not let you kick ‘vikas (development)’ ... I will not let you kick the dreams and future of the youth and the people of Bengal.’
Referring to the strong words being used by the Chief Minister against him he said ‘of late you (Mamata) are taking out your entire frustration on me as you have become aware that you are losing the polls … so much so that you don’t even want to see my face … you may not see my face but let me tell you that the candidates like the BJP’s Chandana (a daily wager’s wife) we are sending will ensure that you have to see their faces for years to come.’ He said the BJP ran on schemes whereas the TMC ran on scams. ‘The TMC Government never touches a scheme where there can be no scam --- that is cut money --- so they are blocking the Central schemes like Ayushman Bharat or Kisan Sanman Nidhi etc.’
Asking the people of Bengal to get prepared for witnessing steady development in the coming 25 years --- thereby asserting that his party would come to power for those many years’ --- Modi said, ‘together Left, Congress and Trinamool have wasted the dreams of several generations in Bengal … but now we will ensure that the future of the present day youth is not wasted.’
