The BJP has said that a “scam-tainted” Trinamool Congress will not be able to win even 10 --- out of 42 --- Lok Sabha seats from Bengal in next year’s general elections.
The BJP’s reaction comes close on the heels of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee setting a 40-seat target for the party men.
“If elections were to be held today the TMC will not win more than 8-10 seats because the people of Bengal have decided to vote them out ... Bengal is fed up of its thieves,” BJP State leader Sajal Ghosh said.
When asked about the large gatherings at the ‘Jan Sanyog’ rallies of Abhishek who is also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Ghosh said, “there is a difference between people coming to see a leader and voting for him.”
Ghosh said, “Abhishek’s role is like that of Hanuman. Just as Hanuman set fire to Lanka with his tail, Abhishek is going around and will set fire to Mamata’s empire. Just like Lord Hanuman’s face was burnt after he put his tail in his mouth to extinguish the fire, his face will also be burnt after a few days.”
Banerjee had earlier called upon the people of Bengal --- from a mass reach-out rally Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district --- to help TMC win 40 seats this time round.
Apparently he had spoken in reaction to a previous speech of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Birbhum rally told BJP workers to target 35 seats from Bengal.