West Bengal BJP chief taunts TMC's Abhishek Banerjee, invites him to campaign for Falta repoll

Kolkata: Ahead of the May 21 Falta Assembly repoll, the BJP's West Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya on Sunday said the TMC has been "sent into exile" by the state's people and sarcastically invited its leader Abhishek Banerjee to campaign in the constituency.

Canvassing for BJP candidate Debanshu Panda, Bhattacharya questioned the TMC national general secretary's absence from the campaign trail despite Falta being part of the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by Banerjee.

A day earlier, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari campaigned in Falta and said that the repoll in the Assembly constituency will "re-establish voter rights where people have not been able to vote for 10 years in parliamentary, assembly and panchayat elections ever since the nephew (Abhishek Banerjee) arrived on the political scene." On Sunday, Bhattacharya claimed the TMC leadership had disappeared after the party's electoral setback and alleged that those who once spoke aggressively were now confined indoors.

"Police are not there, so the leaders are not there. There is no convoy, so there is no roar anymore. Please come to Falta and campaign. Our workers and district leadership will welcome you with flowers and blowing of conch shells," he said.

"We are missing you terribly. Please come," the BJP leader said in an apparent jibe at Banerjee. "The golden household of the golden boys has crumbled. Those who had promised a fight are now practising shadow boxing at home." Referring to certain remarks Banerjee made during the assembly election campaign, Bhattacharya said, "Someone once said DJs would play after the results. I had said harmonium and jal tarang (melodic percussion instrument) could also be played. Now all of it is being played inside homes." Asserting that BJP workers had kept up the fight despite "intimidation" in South 24 Parganas and Diamond Harbour over the years, Bhattacharya claimed the political situation in the region had changed dramatically.

Exuding confidence about winning the Falta repoll, he raised the victory target for BJP candidate Debanshu Panda beyond the one-lakh margin suggested by Adhikari a day earlier. The BJP should aim for over 1.25 lakh margin, the Bengal BJP chief said.

He also sought to reassure TMC leaders and workers, saying they could campaign freely without fear. "Come out without hesitation, organise rallies and meetings. There will be no attack from the BJP's side," he said.

Taking a swipe at the TMC's prospects, Bhattacharya claimed there was no possibility of the party returning to power in the state.

In a significant political outreach, Bhattacharya also addressed minority communities, saying the BJP had no quarrel with ordinary minority citizens.

In an apparent warning for troublemakers, he said people should not identify themselves through "Shah Jahan or Babur's sons" and asserted that "Suvendu Adhikari is now the chief minister".

Bhattacharya said South 24 Parganas had long remained a district of migrant labourers and claimed a BJP government would create employment opportunities so people would not have to move out in search of jobs.

The state BJP chief also said that he would never interfere in police functioning or run a "parallel government". The administration under the BJP would function differently, he said.

The Election Commission countermanded the election in Falta, which was held on April 29, following massive irregularities, including allegations of EVM tampering and voter intimidation.