Only guarantee is Modi not returning to power: Mamata

Kalyani (WB), May 14 (PTI) Asserting that the INDIA bloc would form the next government at the Centre by winning over 300 Lok Sabha seats, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that the “only guarantee is that Narendra Modi will not get a third term as the prime minister”.

Addressing an election rally at Kalyani in Nadia district, the West Bengal chief minister accused the BJP of spreading falsehood on the Sandeshkhali issue and tarnishing the image of women of the state.

“The only guarantee in the Lok Sabha polls is that Modi is not returning to power. The INDIA bloc would secure between 295 and 315 seats while the BJP would be restricted to a maximum of 200,” she asserted.

Attacking Modi on the Sandeshkhali issue, Banerjee said, “The BJP and the PM are spreading falsehood on the issue. The ‘guarantee babu’ (swipe at Modi’s guarantee) is maligning West Bengal. Now, when the truth is emerging (referring to purported videos), they are asking TV channels not to show those. They are trying to hide the truth. The BJP hatched a conspiracy to tarnish the image of women of the state.”

Modi, in election rallies on Sunday, had alleged that the TMC was “attempting to conceal its past misdeeds” in Sandeshkhali, where ruling party leaders have been accused of sexual assault and land-grabbing.

Multiple purported videos recently surfaced on social media that claimed that a local BJP party leader made several women of Sandeshkhali sign blank papers, which were later filled up as complaints of sexual assault against TMC leaders, and that women were paid money to participate in the protests.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.

She reiterated her opposition to the implementation of CAA and NRC in the state.

Attacking the BJP, she said, “They are interfering in everything, be it our religious practices or food habits. They want to decide what we should eat and what we shouldn’t. This is unacceptable. This can’t go on for too long.”