BJP to win over 23 seats in Bengal: Amit Shah

Joynagar (West Bengal), May 13 (IANS) Taking a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over cancellation of one of his rallies in the state, BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday said the state's voters have decided to send more than 23 BJP MPs to the Lok Sabha irrespective of whether the state government allows them to hold meetings.

Shah also dared Banerjee to arrest him for chanting "Jai Shri Ram", a week after three persons were arrested in the West Midnapore district for allegedly chanting the slogan while her convoy was passing through the area.

"I am supposed to go to three places today (Monday). I have come here at Joynagar and the permission for (my) second rally has been cancelled because Mamata didi fears that her nephew would lose his reign if the BJP workers get united.

"People have already decided to defeat Trinammol Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, irrespective of whether you allow us to talk or hold meetings, or deny us to talk or organise rallies," he said addressing a public meeting here.

The people of Bengal have made up their mind to "give more than 23 Lok Sabha seats to the BJP", he said.

Shah's scheduled rally in Baruipur on Monday was cancelled as the state government allegedly denied permission to it.

"Mamata didi often says Jai Shri Ram cannot be chanted. I am chanting Jai Shri Ram from this stage in the Joynagar constituency and going to Kolkata from here. If you have courage, arrest me," Shah said.

A video circulated on social media on May 4 showed the Chief Minister stepping out off her vehicle in a bid to confront a group of people chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' on her way to a public rally in Ghatal.

On seeing Banerjee's convoy stop, the people started fleeing, but she dared them to come back and alleged some of them were using abusive language against her. Subsequently, three persons were arrested from the area.

IANS has not verified the contents of the video.

On Monday, Shah also accused Banerjee of depriving Bengal's people of the benefits of Central welfare schemes rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Mamata didi is afraid of losing her popularity to Modi. That is why she is not allowing implementation of Central welfare schemes," he said, urging voters to oust the Banerjee government.

The BJP chief also alleged that people were earlier forced to pay "tax to syndicates", but now they have been compelled to pay "tax to her (Banerjee's) nephew."

In an apparent reference to Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, Shah said Central funds, so far being looted by the "syndicates" in Bengal, were now going directly into the pocket of "the nephew".

In Joynagar, Shah met party's "valiant foot soldier" Shribas Gayen who was allegedly brutally injured by Trinamool goons.

"I salute him and every karyakarta of @BJP4Bengal who is working hard to uproot TMC's goondaraj. Mamata Didi your violence cannot stop BJP from bringing back the lost glory of Bengal," Shah wrote in his Twitter handle.

Speaking at a rally in Barasat constituency that shares border with Bangladesh, Shah reiterated that once re-elected, the Narendra Modi government will bring in the citizenship Amendment Bill to ensure the citizenship rights for all the refugees in the country and to identify infiltrators.

In a scathing attack on Banerjee, Shah said her government has ruined the state economically and culturally, and vowed to build a 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal) if the safforn party is voted to power.