Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday participated in four road shows in Kolkata and adjoining areas. During a road show in Singur, Mr. Shah promised industrialisation if the BJP comes to power. Singur is going to the polls on April 10 in the fourth phase and industrialisation is central to the constituency.
During another road show in Howrah, he urged supporters to ensure that the BJP wins with a big margin. “Mamatadidi is a big leader, so her departure should also be by a big margin,” Mr. Shah said. He said if the BJP comes to power, it will reform the education system, strengthen infrastructure, provide work to the unemployed and promote industry. The Home Minister also participated in a road show in Domjur in Howrah and Behala in the southern parts of the city.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Smriti Irani also campaigned for the party candidates. At rallies at Mal in Jalpiaguri, Mr. Adityanath alleged that the TMC government has siphoned off money from the Central schemes.
The Trinamool Congress chairperson addressed two public meetings in Cooch Behar district and one in the Jadavpur Assembly segment in Kolkata. At the public meetings in north Bengal, Ms. Banerjee said if the BJP comes to power they will send people to camps as they did in Assam during the National Register of Citizens. She urged the people to elect at least 200 MLAs to help her form government.
Responding to Ms. Banerjee’s remarks, pradesh Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the Trinamool chief’s insistence on winning 200 seats points out that she is scared that her MLAs may desert her. Mr. Chowdhury, who also participated in road shows in support of the Samyukt Morcha candidates, alleged that it was Ms. Banerjee who brought the politics of defections to West Bengal.
