Your time is over: Shah to Mamata at Kulti

After neighbouring states such as Assam, Tripura and Odisha, West Bengal will also form a BJP-led government, said Union home minister Amit Shah at Kulti today, adding, “Mamata Didi, your time is finished.”

“This election in West Bengal is not to choose a BJP candidate as the next MLA, nor merely to make a BJP leader the Chief Minister, but to free the state from infiltrators,” Mr Shah said at Asansol.

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He was addressing a campaign rally in support of BJP candidate Dr Ajoy Poddar for the Kulti Assembly seat.

Alleging that such infiltrators were being supported, he urged voters to help the BJP win the polls, stating that from 5 May the next government would begin identifying and deporting them.

He further said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had deployed the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), and warned that if any “TMC goonda” engaged in unlawful activities on polling day, 23 April, a BJP-led government after 4 May would identify and arrest those responsible.

“The first task of the next government will be to act against the mafia in the state and end the syndicate raj,” he alleged. Mr Shah claimed that even small quantities of construction materials could not be used without paying levies to TMC-linked syndicates operating locally.

Raising concerns about women’s safety, he criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that women were not safe under her administration. “Mamata Didi, your time is finished. A new government under the leadership of Narendra Modi will be formed,” he said. He added that the new government would ensure women’s safety, claiming that women would be able to move freely even late at night without fear.

Referring to Kulti’s industrial heritage, Mr Shah noted that Asia’s first iron and steel foundry had been established there over a century ago, but alleged that misgovernance, under the TMC had led to its decline. “We will make Kulti an iron hub once again. Illegal mining will be stopped, pollution from sponge iron units will be controlled, and employment opportunities will be created,” he said.

He also promised the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code, along with the establishment of a Seventh Pay Commission and a Dearness Allowance structure under a BJP government. He added that corruption during the 15 years of TMC rule would be investigated and strict action taken.