Attacking Home Minister Amit Shah for claiming that the BJP would win 26 out of 30 seats that went to polls in the first phase of Assembly elections on March 27, Bengal Chief Minister said a person had the freedom to say whatever one liked but things were finally in the hands of the voters and “I have left it on the ‘maanush’ (people) …they will decided the things.”
Wondering as to why the Home Minister claimed only 26 seats and why not the entire 30 of them she said, “a leader today said that the BJP will win all 26 seats … I wonder why not the entire 30,” adding “have they kept the remaining 4 for the CPI(M) and the Congress who are their partners.” Banerjee who was addressed two rallies at Chandipur and Nandigram said “I will not predict anything … how can I predict can I go inside the voting machines … I can only put faith on the people and I have full faith in them … things will be known only the result day,” adding “as about 84 per cent votes were polled, I can only hope that things have gone in our favour.”
She said that “do not see who is contesting in your area … think that it is me who is contesting as I have brought all the development at your doorsteps.”
She also attacked the Indian Secular Front of Abbas Siddique saying the ISF-Left and Congress alliance had tied up with AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi so as to cut the minority votes and help BJP win the elections.
“I challenge the BJP that I will defeat them… defeat them… defeat them … I will throw them out of Bengal,” she said.
Earlier scoffing at the Home Minister Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien told the media that Shah was good at playing mind games but “mind games won’t work here … better try these tricks in Gujarat Gymknana.”
Earlier on Sunday Shah told reporters that the high voting percentage in first phase indicated the BJP had already garnered about 26 seats out of the 30 that went to polls. Incidentally on normal occasions a normal booth in Bengal polls anywhere between 82 and 88 percent.
Launching a frontal attack on Shah calling him a “dhop baj and gul baj” (bluff master or liar) O’Brien said “telling lies is his habit, particularly during the elections … but every time he says so he cuts a sorry figure. He claimed that his party will win 120 seats in Rajasthan but it only won 70 seats. He claimed he will win 2/3rd seats in Maharashtra but there the BJP won only 1/3rd seats. He claimed that his party will win 65 seats in Chhattisgarh but it could manage only 15 seats. In Jharkhand too it won only 25 seats whereas Shah claimedthat his party will win there … so we can only say that he is playinga mind game but the people of Bengal are smart enough. They will readthrough his tricks.”
Monday, 29 March 2021 | Saugar Sengupta | Kolkata
