Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asked a public gathering in West Bengal to offer BJP more than 35 seats in the state in the next Lok Sabha elections.
He told people that if they deliver in 2024, then the Mamata Banerjee-led government may collapse before “25”, the year–next. Bengal’s next legislative
Assembly elections, however, are to take place in 2026. The BJP had won 18 out of state’s 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in 2019 elections.
Shah was addressing a gathering at Suri, in Birbhum district.
He said that the people had given BJP 77 seats, and 38% vote share in the state (in the 2021 Assembly elections). “I have come to tell the people of Bengal, complete the work that’s remaining. By giving more than 35 seats to the BJP in Bengal, make Modiji the prime minister,” he said.
Bengal is gearing up for the rural polls, an immediate challenge before the BJP. However, Shah, after wishing Bengali new year, and remembering the Bogtui carnage, stressed on the general elections.
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“In 24 (2024) give 35 (seats). I am saying, 25 (2025) will not be required. Before 25, Mamata Didi’s government will collapse. Let the lotus bloom once in Bengal. There will neither be bomb blasts, nor attacks on the occasion of Ram Navami. There will be no atrocities, no infiltration, no cow-smuggling,” he said.
Shah said that the BJP is the only option for eliminating corruption from Bengal. He referred to the violence around Ram Navami processions in Howrah and Rishra, and questioned whether or not such processions should take place.
Due to Trinamool’s “politics of appeasement” this courage (of disturbing processions) found ground, he said, and assured that once the people get the BJP 35 seats, here, and the BJP forms the government in the state (thereafter), none will have the courage to attack the Ram Navami procession.
Shah alleged that the Trinamool chief doesn’t work for the poor people of the state, and has the sole aim of making her nephew the state’s chief minister.
He also talked about Centre’s schemes and funds for state’s projects, and corruption in the state.
“I am giving a guarantee before you all. The BJP will not let Mamata didi’s Hitler-like rule to continue. Mamata didi, you may be dreaming that as your successor, your nephew becomes the chief minister. I want to tell this here in Birbhum that the next chief minister is going to be of the BJP. Friends, the trailer of this has to be executed in 2024.…” he said.
Talking to the press, after visiting Dakshineshwar Temple in Kolkata, Shah said he visited Birbhum as part of BJP’s preparation for the 2024 elections. He said that seeing people’s excitement in Birbhum, he has no doubts that the BJP will win more than 35 seats in the 2024 elections, and PM Modi will come back for another term with over 300 seats.
“Whatever they get in Lok Sabha – otherwise a zero, what’s it has got to do with Vidhan Sabha… who is talking about the falling of a government? Who is speaking? Country’s home minister. What does it mean? It means a conspiracy… It means the cat is out of the bag. It’s coming from the home minister, and it means all the conspiracy is happening from Delhi, it’s established,” said Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool’s spokesperson.
Abhishek Banerjee tweeted: “HM Amit Shah, you spoke of my imagined ills but didn’t care to address the harm BJP has inflicted upon West Bengal. If my existence pains you to this extent, release the Rs1.15 lakh crore rightfully due to my state and I’ll withdraw myself from the political arena.”