The BJP on Sunday made a strong pitch for removal of the Trinamool Congress in the Assembly elections in West Bengal, scheduled in 2016.
Addressing a rally to mark Uthhan Dibas (Day of Rising), party president Amit Shah said Mamata Banerjee’s three-and-a-half-year rule in the State has caused irreparable damage.
“Today Bengal is at a historic juncture. It voted to power the TMC looking for development. But it has not been the case. Bengal has only gone backwards,” he said.
Reckless opposition of the Centre’s policies by the State government has only stalled development projects here, he added. Pointing out that the people of Bengal need a strong leadership, Shah urged them to support the BJP.
“In 2016, we want to form the government in Bengal. We may win in Maharashtra or Haryana; but our real victory will be when we win elections here. The countdown marking the end of Trinamool has begun,” he said.
The immediate focus though, he said, will be to win the upcoming polls for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, due in May 2015. “Kolkata will herald the change for the end of the Trinamool,” he added.
Questioning the role of the State government in the Saradha chit fund scam, the BJP president asked why Mamata is shielding the accused.
“TMC MPs have been protesting against black money in Parliament, is the Saradha money black or white? She alleges that her party leaders are being framed by CBI. Let her say on record that those arrested are innocent,” he said.
Further questioning the State government’s decision to wind up the Shyamal Sen Commission, Shah said the move makes it clear that Mamata is not interested in refunding the depositors money.
Shah also alleged that the Mamata government, in the name of vote-bank politics, was shielding terrorists. He accused the Trinamool leadership of being involved in the Burdwan blast.
Saradha’s money, according to Shah, is being diverted in such activities. “Saradha;s money was used in this blast, CBI is investigating this matter,” he alleged, accusing Mamata of protecting illegal immigrants.