Modi slams left & Third Front, goes soft on Mamata in W Bengal

Making his debut in West Bengal in the current campaign, Narendra Modi today launched a blistering attack on the left parties and the Third Front, saying they will make India a "third rate" country.

Addressing a big rally, he blew hot and cold against Trinamool Congress and its leader Mamata Banerjee apparently in a bid to woo her post elections.

Trying to strike a chord with the people of Bengal, he accused the Congress of denying Pranab Mukherjee, now President, the prime minister's post in 2004 even though he "deserved" the chair.

Modi was severe in his criticism of the left parties and their partners, saying they have destroyed the eastern region of the country by their rule while western India has shown progress because they had never ruled that region.

"These people (left and its associates) who do politics in the name of secularism practice the politics of vote-bank by misleading Muslims. They destroyed the eastern region. You must banish them from the Indian politics forever," he said in a speech interspersed with some sentences in Bengali.

The BJP's prime ministerial candidate was critical of Banerjee in the beginning, asking people if the promised "poribartan (change)" had come and do they feel whether things have changed. "People are still waiting for it."

However, later he softened, saying after the assembly elections you have an elected government under Banerjee. He said people can experiment by electing BJP candidates in all the 42 lok Sabha seats. let TMC do the job in the state and BJP in the Centre, he said.

"Bengal has always given direction to the country. You elect BJP candidates from all lok Sabha seats. TMC government will do its job here. You hold them accountable for the work in the state and me for the work in the country. let there be competition.... West Bengal government alone cannot change the state's fate. You will need Delhi's help as well.

"It will be a win-win situation for you with me at the Centre, Mamata Banerjee in the state and Pranab da to supervise us," he said.