Poll fever shot up a few degrees on Wednesday with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising poriborton (change) in Bengal as he mounted a scathing attack on the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for corruption, violence and even her recent leg injury for which her party has indirectly blamed the BJP.

“ May 2, Didi jacche, ashol poriborton asche,” ( Didi will go on May 2, there will be change) said the PM, accusing that the funds meant for people affected by cyclone Amphan were siphoned off by the Trinamool Congress. “The relief sent to Bengal by the Centre got stuck in Bhaipo (a reference to the CM’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee) window,” he said. For the first time, the PM referred to Banerjee’s injury, rubbishing the “conspiracy theories” peddled by the TMC which has targeted the BJP for the incident. He said such allegations are meant to “insult the sentiments of Nandigram”.

Banerjee had hurt her leg during campaigning at Nandigram. Immediately after the incident, she alleged a “conspiracy” with “4-5 people attacking her and slamming the car door on her feet”. In a span of two days, she changed her statement to say “push from the crowd resulted in an injury”; while senior leaders from her party went to the Election Commission alleging “attempts” to kill her. Across political rallies, the West Bengal CM, who is campaigning on a wheelchair now, made a variety of claims and allegations such as the “BJP attempting to keep her at home through the injury”.

BJP has so far been maintaining a measured response to the incident, although some leaders called it a “political gimmick” to “gain sympathy”. It was only a matter of time before the incident and subsequent allegations would start to blow-up.

But the PM took her on. “Didi, people from Nandigram voted you to power; had put blind faith in you. But, then you allege a conspiracy by them, against you. You are hurting their sentiments, demeaning them in front of all of India,” he said at a rally in Contai.

Modi upped his ante as he responded to the “outsiders in Bengal” charge levied against him and the BJP by political opponents. The PM announced that the state will have a “bhoomiputra” (son of the soil) as a CM if voted to power.

Related Topics