“If the people of West Bengal gift BJP 35 seats in 2024, then they will not have to wait even till 2026. Mamata Banerjee’s government will collapse even before that,” Shah said at a public rally at Suri in Birbhum district of West Bengal.
However, during his 20-minute speech, the Home Minister did not utter a single word about the forthcoming polls for the three-tier panchayat system in West Bengal which is scheduled in 2023 only.
Political observers feel that from his speech it is clear that just like in other states, the BJP has set the tone for 2024 Lok Sabha polls for West Bengal as well.
During the speech, his attack against Trinamool Congress and the state government were mainly on two points, namely the incidents of scams, especially in recruitments and the recent clashes over Ram Navami processions in the state.
The Union Home Minister even went to the extent of claiming that the high-handed approach of the chief minister had resulted in several Trinamool Congress leaders going behind bars.
“It is just because of the ‘Didi’s Dadagiri’ that so many leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress are currently behind bars. However, the chief minister may wish, but she would not be able to see her nephew (Abhishek Banerjee) as the next chief minister. Someone from the BJP would be the next chief minister of West Bengal,” Shah said.
Commenting on the recent clashes in Howrah and Hooghly districts over Ram Navami processions, Shah said the clashes were the result of the appeasement politics of Trinamool Congress and CM Mamata Banerjee.
“If Narendra Modi returns as the Prime Minister for the third term in 2024, no one will dare anywhere in the country to stop Ram Navami processions,” said the Home Minister.
IANS