‘I am Winning from Nandigram But…’ Mamata Banerjee Warns Voters Against BJP’s ‘Money Power’

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday urged voters to help TMC score a landslide victory in the assembly elections and alleged that anything less may help the BJP form a government because of horse-trading.

Addressing a public meeting in Dinhata in Cooch Behar, she said, “I am winning from Nandigram but this election is not about me. You have to assure that TMC should win more than 200 seats otherwise BJP will use their money power to buy traitors.” The West Bengal assembly has 294 seats.

Without naming Asaduddin Owaisi of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) or Abbas Siddiqui of Indian Secular Front (ISF), she urged the minorities, SC and ST voters to stay alert from their “divisive politics”.

“There is a leader who came from Hyderabad and one from Furfura Sharif. Don’t fall in their trap. They are here to divide people on religious lines. My request to minorities, ST and SC voters, please don’t allow anyone to divide your votes,” she said.

Hinting at horse-trading, she said if the TMC fails to reach the 200-seat mark, “then BJP will form a government using money power”.

Mamata also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his Bangladesh visit, and accused him of violating the Model Code of Conduct. She termed his visit as “vote-bank politics”, as his programmes there were intended to influence the voting in Bengal.

She also questioned the timing of his Bangladesh visit to meet Matua followers. “Elections are underway and he went to Bangladesh. People in Bengal are not fools. Everybody knows why he went to Bangladesh.”

Mamata accused the Election Commission (EC) for working on behalf of the BJP. But she expressed confidence that TMC is leading in the first two phases as people have reposed faith in her party.

She alleged that despite lodging 63 complaints with the EC, no action was taken by the poll panel as they were ignored on instruction of the BJP leaders.

“Out of 63, I also lodged one FIR but no action has been taken as EC is silent. BJP goons are attacking our workers. I am sorry to say that EC is silent on violence against our workers. EC is helping BJP to defeat us. I would like to tell the EC that whatever they do, people have decided to show the door to BJP. Once we will form the government on May 2, then I will personally monitor all the 63 cases and no one will be spared,” she added.

She also weighed in on the elections in Tamil Nadu, where voting is to be held on April 6, and said that it was unfortunate that the BJP is using various agencies for their political interest.

“BJP is sending CBI, ED, Income Tax to the door steps of those opposing them. Why are they not sending probe agencies to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh? They are harassing only those who are opposing them,” she said.