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Second line of Trinamul leadership ready: Mamata Banerjee

In Jalpaiguri, Miss Banerjee slams BJP over NRC, tea, Hills.

Second line of Trinamul leadership ready: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (Photo: IANS/File)

Trinamul Congress supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday attacked the BJP, on several issues, including the tea industry, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, and Hill affairs. She also invited businessmen of Assam to do business in Bengal. She further said that she has prepared the “next party leadership” that would lead her party even in her “absence.”

Without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CM said BJP was a “liar” and claimed: “Jhooti baat bolney sey achche din nahi aatey hai.”

She went on to accuse the Centre of fomenting trouble in the Hills. To appease tea workers, she said that her government has increased their wages from Rs 67 to Rs 176 from October, while she asked the administration to keep monitoring the tea sector to see that everyone gets the revised rate of their remuneration.

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The CM was addressing a public gathering, following distribution of government assistances at Tiabon near Chalsa in Jalpaiguri district, on Wednesday. After the programme, she attended an administrative review meeting of two districts ~ Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar~ and scolded officials associated with the electricity, PWD, Land, forest and others.

Claiming credit for the “massive development” during her tenure, Miss Banerjee said no one has brought in such development in the last 70 to 77 years. Labeling the BJP as a ‘liar,’ Miss Banerjee said: “They assured taking up tea plantations. That was totally false, but they won an Assembly seat by giving false promises.” Quoting the BJP’s slogan of ‘Aachhe din,’ she said: “Good days will never come by giving false statements and promises.”

The CM was also critical of the NRC execution in the BJP led state of Assam and recalled her government’s role in providing shelter to Assam people in North Bengal in 2014 and 2015, and claimed that she would provide them shelter in her state if they want to come again. She also invited a section of the Assam people and said: “Businessmen who are in trouble in Assam may come to Bengal to do business.”

Miss Banerjee also accused the Centre of instigating the Hill people so as to create trouble in the Hills. “Unrest prevails in the plains if trouble breaks out in the Hills. Restoration of peace is imperative in the Hills. We have been able to restore peace in Darjeeling,” she said.

She criticised the Centre’s social welfare scheme and termed the “Jan-dhan Prokolpo” as “Govardhan Prokolpo.” Recalling the role of legendary personalities like Gandhiji, Netaji and others, including Sardar Ballavbhai Patel, she said: “Ballavbhai Patel did not want division. To mark his birthday, we expect everything to be undivided.”

She also claimed that her government has reached out to 90 per cent of the people and that she has asked MLAs and MPs to reach out to the people further to provide them services. Referring to speculation about the longevity of her party, she said that her government will last long. “I have trained the next leadership in my party. Even if I am no longer there…my second line of leadership will run the government. This government will last long even in my absence,” she said.

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