Calling for defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that “2024 will be no entry for the BJP”.
“Let me make it very clear that there will be no entry for BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It has to go. There are no chances of BJP returning to power. From now on people are saying that there will be no entry for BJP in 2024,” the Chief Minister said, addressing a public meeting at Purulia.
Ms. Banerjee targeted the BJP government at the Centre on the economic front and tried to puncture holes in the schemes like Ujjwala Yojana. “The BJP-led government at the Centre is adulterated. It has destroyed the country’s economy through disastrous decisions like demonetisation, which was a big scam,” the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister once again targeted the Centre over the action by central investigation agencies. “ Modi babu [Prime Minister Narendra Modi], you send CBI to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s home, sometimes you arrest Minister from Maharashtra and sometimes arrest AAP Minister from Delhi and sometimes target Hemanta Soren (Jharkhand Chief Minister),” the Chief Minister said asking why are these agencies not investigating BJP ministers. “What about BJP ministers? Why is no action being taken against them? All of them should be put behind bars,” she said.
The Trinamool Congress chairperson also referred to the coal pilferage and cattle smuggling scam in which the alleged involvement of her party leaders including party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is being probed by central investigative agencies. “The coal ministry is with the Union government. How come cattle are being smuggled through international borders?” she asked.
Ms. Banerjee also raised pitch for the release of funds from the Centre . “Either the Centre releases our funds, or should step down,” she said.
The Chief Minister has called for State wide protests in the first week of June alleging that Centre was not releasing funds for several schemes including MGNREGA. According to the State government, the Centre has not released funds for 100 days in the past five months and West Bengal government owes ₹7,200 crore from the Centre for MGNREGA only.
