West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that she would let the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win even a single seat in the state in 2019 Lok Sabha election. Speaking to reporters during a press conference at Trinamool Congress (TMC) headquarters in Kolkata, Banerjee said she would appeal everybody not to vote for the BJP.
Banerjee said she is organisng a 'Federal Front' rally to mobilise the support of all like minded parties to oust the BJP from the power in the centre. "Several top leaders have confirmed that they will attend the rally. We are inviting everybody (opposition parties). We will also invite CPI (M), RSP and Forward Bloc", she said.
The CM accused the BJP government at the Centre of "ruining" the Indian economy and said political steadiness cannot be achieved unless economic stability returns.
"The entire Indian economy is in a dangerous condition. It has to change to save our country. If there is no economic stability, there can't be any political stability. This government should go," Banerjee said while addressing a press conference at the TMC headquarters here.
Blaming the Centre for high fuel prices, she said the Union government should first roll back the Rs 10 cess it levies on petrol and diesel before asking the states to cut taxes.
Banerjee also lashed out at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), claiming it was behaving "more like a political party" in the state.
Commenting on the recent legal notice by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to senior TMC leader Partha Chatterjee, Banerjee said she is not at all "bothered" about it and suggested that the RSS should declare itself a political outfit.
"The RSS should declare itself a political outfit. I used to think that the RSS is a social organisation, but nowadays it is behaving like a political party," she said.
The RSS has sent a legal notice to Chatterjee for claiming the organisation was responsible for the death of two students during a clash in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district, party sources said.
Banerjee claimed her party was not afraid of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED) which have been used by the Centre time and again to pursue political vendetta.
"Whenever elections approach, they (RSS) become active to save the BJP. Let them do that. We are not afraid of it as we have the support of the masses," she said.
Banerjee came out in support of party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay who was summoned by the ED on Friday for questioning in a Ponzi scam and she said he had done no wrong.
Speaking on the recent explosion at Nagerbazar area in the northern fringes of the city where a seven-year-old boy was killed, she said a CID investigation has been ordered into the incident and the investigating agency will find out the truth and arrest the culprits.
While reacting to Banerjee's allegation of the BJP trying to create disturbances in the state, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh termed the allegations as "baseless" and a "desperate attempt to divert attention" from the failures of the state government.
Ghosh flayed the West Bengal government for not doing enough to contain fuel prices.
The central government has decreased fuel prices by Rs 2.50 per litre and many BJP-ruled states have also decreased prices by Rs 2.50 a litre but the West Bengal government has decreased prices by only Re 1. The state government should decrease the prices by Rs 2.50 a litre, Ghosh said.
( With inputs from PTI )
