Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday kicked off his first polll campaign ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Polls 2021. The mega rally was attended by hundreds of people, listening enthusiastically to PM Modi's aim to win the coming elections. While PM accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of smashing the trust of Bengal people and accused her of ignoring development in the state, Mamata hit back at the prime minister and called him a liar with fake promises in the name of elections. The two leaders shot vicious barbs at each other at the hustings.
While addressing his first rally in West Bengal at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground, PM Modi accused Banerjee of nepotism by choosing to play the insular role of "bua" (aunt) to her "bhatija" (nephew) instead of becoming "Didi" (elder sister) to the people.
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"Bengal chose you in role of 'Didi' but you preferred being 'bua' to your 'bhatija. Aren't you the 'Didi' of so many young men and women who look up to you? Why are you fulfilling the greed of your nephew?" he said without naming Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee.
"You have betrayed and insulted the people of Bengal who trusted that you will be the harbinger of change after the end of the Left rule. You smashed to smithereens (chaknachoor) their hopes and dreams," he said, excoriating the TMC supremo.
PM Modi took a jibe at Banerjee's over her decision to contest the assembly eletion from Nandigram against her former protege Suvendu Adhikari who has recently joined the saffron party.
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He linked it to riding a scooty precariously during a TMC protest in Kolkata against sky-rocketed fuel prices, and said, "We all prayed for your safety. Thankfully, you did not fall down or get hurt. But now when your scooty, instead of going to Bhawanipore, has turned towards Nandigram and it decides to flip, what can we do?" Modi said as he had a hearty laugh.
Attacking the TMC boss over alleged "communally divisive" politics."Lotus is about to bloom in Bengal because of the 'kichad' (muck) created by you, Didi," he said.
Modi said the TMC and the Left-Congress alliance are on one side and the people of Bengal on the other. "The vote bank politics that Congress started after Independence, the Left and the TMC took forward."
Attacking the Left for forming an alliance with the Congress, Modi said, "They (the Left) used to once raise a slogan--Congress-er kalo haath bhenge dao, guriye dao (Break the black hand of Congress). But that black hand has become white now and the Left has tied up with the grand old party."
Taking a dig at TMC over its "Khela Hobe" slogan, he asserted "Khela (game) is khatam (over) for the TMC, vikaas shuru (development begins now)."
"The people of Bengal had once put faith in Didi that she will bring paribartan (change). But Didi and her cadre destroyed the faith of people and insulted Bengal. True change means peace and development, better education, more jobs and fulfilling everyone's dreams. We will rebuild Bengal," said Modi.
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Meanwhile, West Bengal's Assembly Elections for the 294-seat are scheduled to be held in eight phases, beginnning March 27 to April 29. The results are likely to be declared on May 2.
With PTI Inputs
