People of Bengal will uproot the outsiders, who have deprived Bengal of its dues, said Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of Trinamul Congress.

He was addressing a gathering at BSSA Football Ground in Basirhat this afternoon.

“We call the BJP outsiders because they work to deprive the people of Bengal by not giving their dues. On the one hand they have stalled the dues and on the other they are asking for votes. This is self-contradictory. Vote to uproot them,” said Mr Banerjee. He added that last time, the Assembly elections were conducted in eight phases and the BJP lost badly. This time they are conducting polls in seven phases and they will falter again.

The meeting was organized to urge people to vote for Haji Nurul Islam, Trinamul Congress candidate for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat. It is noteworthy that Sandeshkhali falls under this constituency.

Both Basirhat and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituencies will have vote on 1 June and according to Mr Banerjee “TMC in both the seats will defeat the saffron party by 4 lakh votes. In 2019, TMC won from Basirhat by 3.50 lakh votes,” he remarked.

Coming down heavily on a section of media, he said, “Some media were circulating lies on Sandeshkhali that Sheikh Sahajahan, Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra are not in police custody. Now, why is the CBI not taking them under their custody? Police from the state had arrested Sudipto Sen and not the CBI. Trinamul Congress does not spare anyone. Partha Chatterjee and Jyotipriya Mullick have been dropped from the cabinet. Does the BJP have the guts to remove Brij Bhusan Sharma accused of molesting women wrestlers or former Karnataka chief minister Yedurappa? It does not have! It gives protection to those who was seen taking money on television,” he maintained.

Calling Modi’s guarantee a “big hoax”, he said, “his guarantee is full of lies. He had promised to give Rs 15 lakh to every Indian which has not happened. He makes big promises before the camera which he never keeps. Didi’s guarantee is cent percent warranty while Modi’s guarantee has zero warranty. How can he give guarantee, his shop is 3,000 km away,” he said sarcastically.

Mr Banerejee said, “Didi keeps her promises and this is her guarantee. We have cleared the dues of 69 lakh job-card holders under MGNREGA. If the Centre does not release money for the Awas Yojana, we will set up their houses.”

He said BJP does not have any organization in Bengal and relies more on a section of the media and judiciary and the agencies like ED, CBI and Income Tax. It does not have the support of the people.”

Criticizing a Bengali newspaper for circulating false and misleading news he said, “A Bengali newspaper had written that Trinamul Congress leaders had run from pillar to post to get people for today’s meeting. I request the reporter from the newspaper to come and sit on the dais to see the huge gathering. Don’t write lies to confuse people”, he said.

Mr Banerjee said, if required, he would come to Basirhat. “When Trinamul roars it means the end of the BJP,” he said.