Home Minister Amit Shah said yesterday the Bharatiya Janata Party would get “two-thirds majority” in next year’s assembly elections in West Bengal.
He targeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek, and said a son of the soil and no shahazada (prince) would become the state chief minister.
“Before the Lok Sabha polls, Mamata didi used to say our candidates will lose their deposits. But for the first time we won 18 of the 42 seats in the state. Mamata didi can see the figures. In the coming assembly polls also, the BJP will get an absolute majority... a two-thirds majority and form the government,” the senior BJP leader said at his first public rally in West Bengal after last year’s general elections.
Shah said he has seen a lot of political changes in his public career.
“In 2014, the BJP got only 87 lakh votes. In 2019, you showered your love and affection and supported us. We got 2.30 crore votes... I am confident that our march cannot be stopped.”
In his address, he referred to the Citizenship Amendment Act, an issue which has generated much political acrimony in West Bengal, with the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, as also the Left and the Congress all opposing it.
One of the prime reasons for Shah’s rally was to give a boost to his party’s campaign backing the controversial citizenship law.
“(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has given citizenship to lakhs of people,” he told the audience.
Taking on Banerjee for promoting ‘parivarvad’ (family rule) by ‘trying to anoint’ Abhishek - now a Trinamool MP and one its prominent leaders - as her successor, Shah said such things cannot be done in West Bengal.
“No shehzada (prince) will become the next Bengal chief minister. A son of the soil will be the next chief minister,” said Shah, without naming Abhishek.
A controversy erupted earlier after a video went viral showing a group of people carrying BJP flags and going in a procession in central Kolkata raising the provocative “goli maro” (open fire) slogan.
The inflammatory slogan was first chanted at a public rally addressed by federal minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur on January 27 in New Delhi. Thakur had allegedly egged on his audience to respond to the slogan.
Thakur was then barred from campaigning by the Election Commission for 72 hours in the run-up to the February 8 Delhi assembly polls.
However, Thakur, the junior finance minister, yesterday denied he was involved in delivering a hate speech and said strict action should be taken against those involved in the violence in northeast Delhi that claimed over 40 lives.
When journalists asked him about the “shoot the traitors” chant, Thakur said: “You are lying.”
“I think sometimes there is lack of information in the media too regarding the way some things are projected,” he said.
Asking the media to limit their questionnaire to his department only, the BJP leader replied: “The matter is sub-judice. You should have full facts. Half-baked truth is dangerous - be it the propaganda of media or somebody else. I feel that you guys should have complete knowledge.”