‘This heat is unbearable’: Mamata Banerjee questions need for 7-phase Lok Sabha polls in Bengal

With the first two rounds of voting over, the third phase is scheduled for May 7, and the elections will be held in the state’s Lok Sabha constituencies of Maldaha Uttar and Maldaha Dakshin, where Banerjee campaigned on Tuesday, as well as Jangipur and Murshidabad.

At a time when campaigning is in full swing, Malda recorded a temperature of 44 degrees Celsius.

Banerjee campaigned in Malda, a Congress bastion, for a second time in the past three days. “Since the day the Trinamool Congress was formed, there have been two seats in Malda district. We never got these two Lok Sabha seats. Can’t this trend be changed? You all have seen our fight and how we are fighting,” she said at an election rally.

Banerjee campaigned both for the TMC’s Maldaha Uttar candidate, former IPS officer Prasun Banerjee, and the Maldaha Dakshin nominee, Shahnawaz Ali Raihan.

In the last Lok Sabha polls, Maldaha Uttar went to the BJP’s Khagen Murmu and Maldaha Dakshin to Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury of the Congress.

“The Congress and the CPM have formed an alliance in Bengal. I cannot work with the CPM. Not a CPM-Congress alliance, but only a Trinamool alliance—a maa mati manush alliance—can defeat the BJP. And we will make them lose this time,” Banerjee said.

‘Constitution torn into pieces’

Banerjee also attacked the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre over a host of issues.

“The Constitution has been torn into pieces. Gandhiji has been forgotten. Subhas Chandra Bose’s birthday has not yet been declared a national holiday. Vidyasagar, Birsa Munda, Bankim Chandra, Ram Mohan Roy… they brought renaissance to the country. It started from Bengal. Bengal was once the capital of undivided India. From here Gandhiji, Netaji and Matangini started the movement,” she said.

Comparing Modi with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the TMC supremo said, “When Atal Bihariji was the prime minister, the slogan of ‘India Shining’ was raised. The BJP’s—Modi Babu’s—slogan in this election is Modi Babu’s guarantee. What is the guarantee? He has sold the country,” she said.

Banerjee also responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s allegation over utilisation certificates for central funds. “Modi Babu’s chacha and Home Minister Amit Dada Mahashay said in Memari that Bengal did not issue the utilisation certificates for Rs 2.29 lakh crore and that this is why they are not releasing our funds. I challenge Amit Shah. Not a single utilisation certificate is pending from our government. I will not take responsibility for the CPM, which is already friends with the BJP. I am stating official records. The CAG report said your 32 (central) departments did not issue utilisation certificates for Rs 52,000 crore. What is the answer to this?” she said.

Banerjee yet again accused the central government of having neglected and deprived Bengal for the past 10 years. “Today is the day to voice your opinion against them. Giving feedback becomes very important,” she said.

Malda tourism plans

Talking about her government’s plans for Malda, she said, “Renovation of the old Kotwali door is being considered. Mangoes were exported from here. Mangoes were getting spoiled in the summer. For that special treatment was done.

“I have nothing to say about Malda. A very old place. Efforts are being made to create various tourism projects so that Malda can get a place in the world,” she added.