BJP says I eat beef, it's none of their business, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Continuing her tirade against the BJP’s politics of “riot and violence”, Trinamul Congress supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to all regional parties to come together and defeat the BJP. Ms Banerjee’s sharp attack came soon after she was elected the party chief for another term.

Speaking at the event, Ms Banerjee said the BJP was spending crores to tarnish her image using the social media. “BJP is spending crores to run social media campaigns against me. They post fake photos and twist my words. We must confront them strongly,” she told partymen at the event. “They have spread canards that I eat beef! But what I eat is my choice. They are liars spreading canards over social media,” she added.

“What is going on in the country is sheer injustice in the name of politics. I appeal to all regional parties to unite. Be together and united, you remain at the front, we will render all support,” Ms Banerjee said.

“If they have a strategy to put all of us in jail before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, thanks to their vindictive political vendetta, I have a strategy to unite all regional parties,” Ms Banerjee said.

With the TMC representation from states like Punjab, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Manipur, Tripura and some others turning out at the organisational meeting of the party, Ms Banerjee urged all of them to take up the challenge of ousting the BJP from the centre. “Give more time to the party and take it as a challenge to oust those who are indulging in mischief and conspiracies. We will not rest in peace and sleep till our mission is accomplished.”

The chief minister also asked her party leaders and workers to be vigilant in their neighbourhoods for the next two years till 2019, and fight against the malicious propaganda and conspiracies.

“Watch out if they are bringing people from outside, from other states. They may be staying in your area as relatives of locals. If you see any such irregular presence, you can bring it to the notice of your local authorities and police station. You may also bring it to my notice. Write it on a piece of paper and hand it over to an officer in my residence who is called Sankhasubhra,” the chief minister said.