Panic in BJP camp after sensing defeat in first phase of LS polls: Mamata

Raiganj, Apr 22 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the BJP is in panic mode after sensing defeat in the first phase of polling last week and asserted that the rout of the saffron camp across the country is imminent.

Addressing two back-to-back rallies in Raiganj and Kumarganj, Banerjee described the controversy surrounding Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, where women have accused TMC leaders of sexual abuse, as a “pre-planned ploy” by the BJP to malign the state government during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

“Fear and panic have gripped the BJP. After the first phase of polling in nearly 100 seats across the country, they have sensed defeat. That is why they are making baseless statements. The rout of the saffron camp is only a matter of time,” she said.

Speaking about the incidents in Sandeshkhali, the TMC leader said, “It is a ploy to malign us ahead of the elections.”

Dubbing the BJP a ‘jumla’ party, the TMC supremo accused it of “peddling lies” regarding the CAA.

“The CAA is a trap to turn legal citizens into foreigners. Once you implement CAA, NRC will follow. We will allow neither CAA nor NRC in West Bengal. If you apply, you will be designated as a foreigner,” Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister also criticised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over his comments during a rally in North Bengal on Sunday, stating, “His comments are not taken seriously by anyone in his own party.”

“Yesterday, he claimed that lawlessness was prevailing in West Bengal and that no one can stop the implementation of the CAA in the state. He is coming here and spreading canards. Let me make it clear, as long as I am here, there will be no NRC or CAA in Bengal,” she said.

With Banerjee addressing rallies in areas once considered Congress strongholds, the TMC slammed the grand old party for working as a “B-team” of the BJP in Bengal.

“The INDIA alliance was my brainchild. Despite the Congress having no representation in the West Bengal assembly, I had offered them two seats. But they have other plans as they want to cut into votes and help BJP here,” she said.

The TMC walked out of the INDIA bloc in West Bengal in January but it would continue to be part of the opposition bloc at the national level.

“If the INDIA alliance wins the Lok Sabha elections and comes to power at the Centre, then we will extend our full support. But in West Bengal, TMC is fighting against the BJP alone. Bengal will play a vital role if the alliance comes to power,” she said.

Banerjee criticised the opposition bloc INDIA partners – CPI(M) and Congress – for “joining hands with the BJP” in West Bengal and asserted that the opposition front ceases to exist in the state.

“There is no INDIA alliance in West Bengal. Here, the CPI(M) and Congress are working for the BJP,” she said.

Banerjee said, “Don’t cast your vote in favour of the Congress and the CPI(M) if you want to defeat the BJP.”

Referring to recent allegations by Congress that their bank accounts have been frozen by central agencies, Banerjee questioned how the grand old party could suffer from financial problems.

“I don’t support accounts of political parties being attached or frozen ahead of elections. But I find it hard to believe that a party like the Congress has financial problems,” she said.

Banerjee waved a piece of paper, claiming it was a copy of an FIR against a central armed paramilitary force for assaulting villagers.

She alleged that two days ago, a team from the force raided a border village in Dakshin Dinajpur district and beat up villagers when they refused to pledge support for the BJP.

“I am urging the EC to take note of the transgression of its role by the BSF. Instead of guarding the frontiers and stopping smuggling, they are terrorising villagers,” she said.