Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that if anyone can detain a goon distributing cash, there is an assured job waiting.

She made this offer today here when four Assembly seats of the districts are set to go for elections in the first phase after 72 hours.

Banerjee addressed three poll rallies campaigning for her party candidates at Bishnupur, Onda and Bankura town.

Miss Banerjee blasted ‘infiltrating goons’ during the Bengal polls and said: “The outsiders are intruding into the villages, towns by buses and trains and I have got definite tip-off they would grab hold on the village roads during the poll day. They already have started distributing cash in several localities. Take their money first and then hand them over to the police.”

Then, she made an offer: “If anyone is able to detain such offenders, his or her job is assured, I promise.” Also, she advised the women: “Be prepared with your cooking utensils, broomstick to resist such outsiders. My mothers and sisters: do you have broomstick in our house? Ask me to sweep your courtyard. If I have made any mistake, slap me, but slap intruders twice.”

Miss Banerjee was despondent that constituencies in Bankura voted against her party in 2019 and said: “I felt very sad that you voted for BJP last time. They won several seats and are now dancing on my head, dictating me and also injuring me. They are trying to prevent my access to your neighbourhood areas but they cannot estimate my courage, they don’t know that I’m unstoppable.”

She also ridiculed the influx of the forces from outside saying: “The BJP is sending policemen to the state from Uttar Pradesh. The entire central forces assigned for the Bengal polls are controlled by the Centre. Why? They are supposed to be governed by the Election Commission only.”

Miss Banerjee also talked about 5 lakh government and semi-government jobs for the Bengal youths in the next five years. She said: “Call back the members of your families working in other states. We are set to create ample jobs in the small-scale and cottage industry segment. We shall have Rs 72,000 crore investment in the Barjora-Bankura-Raghunathpur cluster soon,” she said.

While her party has labelled BJP leaders coming from other states for canvassing as outsiders, she said that those originally hailing from other parts of India but residing in West Bengal for ages are not outsiders but her “own people”.