West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched an all-out attack at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rally in the state's Hooghly district.
Prior to Banerjee's address, the TMC inducted a slew of celebrities, from the field of films and sports, into the party, who shared the stage with her.
Actor Saayoni Ghosh, Cricketer Manoj Tiwary, Slew of Celebrities Join TMC
Bengali actor Saayoni Ghosh, recently embroiled in controversy over her remarks against the BJP and subsequent trolling, joined the TMC at Mamata's rally.
"I'm grateful to Didi that she has given me the opportunity to be here in such a short time and at such a young age. I promise that we will work towards the safety and empowerment of women in Bengal. We will keep the holistic development of Bengal in mind. We will keep its peace and tranquility. The land of Bengal cannot become a target only before the elections," said Ghosh while joining.
Former Bengal men's cricket team captain, Manoj Tiwary also joined the party, and is being seen as a likely candidate for the party from one of the seats in the Howrah district in the upcoming Assembly elections.
“I am the same Manoj Tiwary who wore the national flag on his chest and represented India at the international level. I want the same love from you that I got after hitting a ton against West Indies, or scoring a boundary, or helping the Kolkata Knight Riders’ win the IPL trophy. That love didn’t have any Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian involved. There was just one thing it was that I was Bengali. Bengal’s daughter, Mamata Banerjee, is trying for a secular, free society when the BJP is doing politics of division all across the country,” said Tiwary, while addressing the rally.
Others from the Bengali film industry include actors like June Maliah, Anannya Chakraborty, Kanchan Mullick, Manali Dey, director Raj Chakraborty, and Sudeshna Roy also joined the party. Footballer from the East Bengal Club, Soumik Dey, was also inducted.”
‘Can't Win Bengal by Speaking One Line in Bangla’: Mamata
For most of her speech, Mamata Banerjee trained her guns at PM Modi, who had delivered an address at the same venue in Sahanagar on 22 February.
"Khela Hobe (The game is on)," said Banerjee, using what has become a popular political slogan across the spectrum in Bengal these elections, though used first by the TMC.
“The game will be between the BJP, Left, and Congress on one side and the Trinamool Congress on the other side. I will be the goalkeeper. Let’s see how many goals they can score,” dared Mamata.
She proceeded to attack Modi was using teleprompters for his public addresses.
"The Prime Minister is very clever. He writes his speech on transparent glass to conceal it from public view and then reads from it, makes speeches in Bengal," she said.
"I want to tell him that you can't win Bengal by speaking one line in Bangla," she added.
Banerjee also responded to the recent investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the West Bengal Coal Scam. The investigation has embroiled Trinamool leaders. Most recently, the CBI questioned the wife of Mamata's nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee, with relation to the case.
"They are calling mothers and sisters coal thieves. But who is the owner of the hotel in Durgapur where they stay? Is he not a coal thief?" asked Mamata.
"They are entering my house and calling our daughter-in-law a coal thief. They are dripping in corruption," she added.
"They had gone to help Trump win. Trump's fate has been decided. His will be too," she concluded.
West Bengal is slated to go to polls in April-May.
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