BJP workers' sacrifice will change Bengal, Amit Shah on Panchayat deaths

Kolkata: Calling for the ouster of the Mamata Banerjee government from West Bengal, BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday predicted that the Trinamool Congress' rule was nearing its end. Shouting the BJP slogan "Ebar Bangla" for 2019, he declared the BJP would sweep the Lok Sabha Elections next year in more than 22 seats out of 42.

"The noise from here should reach the ears of the Mamata Banerjee government in Kolkata. I just prayed to Maa Tara at Tarapith to bless power to BJP workers to uproot the Mamata Banerjee government from power here. If this government thinks that it would continue to stay in power by resorting to violence then I challenge that our workers' sacrifice will bring a revolution here ensuring that your rule will not continue anymore," Shah said while addressing a BJP rally in memory of three slain party workers at Balarampur in Purulia Thursday afternoon.

Referring to BJP's victory run in 19 states he elaborated, "If Bengal has to be taken to the path of development, a change has to be brought by eliminating the chit-fund business, cattle-smuggling, bomb-making. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls the BJP came second with two seats. But in 2019 the BJP will bag the first position by winning more than 22 seats. Apart from 22, there is Purulia which I kept out of counting. So if it is included also, our tally will be 23."

Shah also took a jibe at Banerjee's recent bonhomie with other political parties at the national level to form an alliance against the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

"It is a good sign that Mamataji has been in talks with other political parties to build a grand alliance against us. We have no objection to it. We also want an election to be held freely and fairly. But first of all, she should realise that she is losing ground," he said while noting that the BJP had once helped the Trinamool.

The BJP president lashed out at the Trinamool and accused it of unleashing terror on its party workers during the Panchayat elections recently.

"Panchayat elections mean polling in the villages. Mamata Banerjee had no reason to be panicked about any threat to her chair. Our candidates only wanted to contest the polls in small panchayats. But they were not even allowed to file their nominations. People were not also allowed to cast their ballots. When the election results came out, the BJP still won at many places. But three young workers of ours were hacked to death brutally by the miscreants backed by the Trinamool," he complained.

Shah argued that the Trinamool Congress came to power with a claim that the erstwhile Left Front government had left the state in a debt trap over Rs 2 lakh crores. "Today the figure has shot up to Rs 3.50 lakh crores in past seven years' rule by them," Shah said.