Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Sunday urged people not to cast a single vote for the BJP as its leaders from the state had gone to Delhi and urged the Centre not to release funds for the MGNREGA workers and housing scheme beneficiaries. She was addressing a gathering at Balurghat Town Club ground this afternoon.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar is contesting against Trinamul Congress nominee Biplab Mitra in Balurghat Lok Sabha seat. Miss Banerjee said: “These traitors had gone to Delhi and stopped the money for the poor. We have cleared the dues of 69 lakh job card holders. We have assured people that if the Centre does not provde the money, we will build houses for 11 lakh people under Awas Plus scheme.

They will receive the first instalment by the end of 2024 and then the second instalment.” Miss Banerjee said the BJP leaders are so shameless that they have asked what her government has done to the people. “First of all this is not the state election. It is BJP’s responsibility to state what they have done for the people of Bengal and the country.” She said the state government has set up three colleges at Hili, Kumargunj and Kushmandi. “Ask the BJP leaders why the Centre has not given clearance for Balurghat airport to start operations.”

She urged people not to vote for the saffron party “as it has sold out the nation and in the name of democracy they have converted the entire country into jails and opposition leaders have been put behind the bars. The BJP is a washing machine which cleans up corrupt leaders.” Coming down heavily on Narendra Modi, she said: “Every time he comes to Bengal he speaks more lies. No one has received Rs 50,000 in their accounts, forget about Rs 15 lakhs. The Centre has not paid our GST dues worth Rs 1.74 lakh crore.

He comes to Bengal and talks big. PM Cares is a scam, demonetisation failed to stop the inflow of black money. He continues to tell lies.” Miss Banerjee alleged that the BJP had manipulated the media and the agencies conducting opinion polls and they have fudged figures and produced false survey reports. “If I understand a little bit of politics I tell you that this time BJP will not cross 200 seats forget about 400 seats.

In 2021 they said the BJP would get 200 seats (in the Bengal Assembly), but in reality they failed to get even 80 seats.” Targeting the Border Security Force (BSF), she said: “The BSF had allowed smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh. In many places in the first phase of the elections, Central agency personnel had threatened the voters and asked them to vote for the BJP. I urge the Election Commission of India to look into the matter.” Recalling her long association with Balurghat, she said: “During my tenure as the Railway minister, Eklakhi- Balurghat railway line was set up. I had come to Balurghat many times during various movements that had been launched by our party.”