West Bengal Election: Mamata Banerjee will lead “padayatra” in Siliguri to protest against fuel hike.
New Delhi:
On a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his first Kolkata rally prior to the eight-phase West Bengal assembly polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will take on his government by leading a “padayatra” in Siliguri to protest against the steep hike in fuel prices, including LPG cylinders.
Thousands of people, especially women, are likely to assemble at Darjeeling More at 1 pm to join the protest march, the Trinamool Congress said.
“We need to organise massive demonstrations to make our voices heard. Many of those taking part in the rally will carry empty LPG cylinders to mark the protest,” Ms Banerjee was quoted as saying by news agency PTI following her arrival in Siliguri from Kolkata on Saturday.
State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, who accompanied Ms Banerjee to north Bengal, said the rally has been organised ahead of International Women’s Day, and scores of women would be joining the rally.
Among others, TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty will also take part in the rally.
Last month, the West Bengal chief minister arrived at work on an electric scooter to drive home the point on spiralling fuel prices. Ms Banerjee sat pillion as Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim rode the battery-powered scooter foa a considerable stretch of the five-kilometre trip from Kolkata’s Hazra More locality to the state secretariat in Nabanna. The entire ride was telecast through Facebook Live. Later the Chief Minister addressed the media, seated on the e-scooter or battery-operated scooter.
“Kerosene is not available. One crore people in Bengal use it. Petrol-diesel (prices are) up. Gas up…even last night. That’s why I decided to take the scooter to work,” she said.
“Modi is selling the country. This government is anti-people, anti-women, anti-farmer, and anti-young generation. We want this government to go,” she said.
The “padayatra” by the chief minister today is seen as a counter to the Prime Minister’s massive public rally at Kolkata’s famed Brigade Parade Ground. This is PM Modi’s first visit to West Bengal since the state’s Assembly poll dates were announced last week, although he has already been here at least three times in the past few months.
Elections to West Bengal’s 294-seat Assembly are scheduled to be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29 and the results will be declared on May 2.
After winning three seats in the 2016 Assembly election, the BJP had made deep inroads into the state by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winning 18 of the 42 seats and reducing Trinamool’s numbers to 22. The Congress won two while the Left got none.
With inputs from PTI