Mamata launches attack at Modi, calls him 'expiry babu'

Launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dubbed him “expiry babu.”

“I will not call you Pradhan Mantri now as your government’s expiry date is over. So I will call you 'Expiry Babu',” said Mamata.

Addressing a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rally in Cooch Behar district, the party supremo strongly refuted Modi’s allegations made earlier in the day that her government had done nothing for the poor, and dared him to a debate.

“If you (Modi) think you are right then have a face-to-face debate with me. You will ask questions and I will reply,” said Mamata.

She also accused Modi of “lying like Hitler” and challenged him to dispute Bengal’s success in the field of MNREGA, agriculture, road construction and rural housing.

On Modi's claim that chit funds flourished in the state during the TMC era, Mamata said, “Not a single fund came up in West Bengal during TMC rule. Modi babu you must prove your allegations or else people will drag you to jail. The chit funds came up in West Bengal during the CPI(M) era."

The chief minister also questioned how Modi referred to the IAF air strike against terror camps in Pakistan in his speech.

“You spoke about air strike and the Pulwama incident. But I have heard that the Election Commission has said that no one can speak about the armed forces in such a manner (during poll campaign). Then how can the Prime Minister say such things?” said Mamata.

She also accused Modi of indulging in politics over the blood of jawans.

“Remember, if this party (BJP) comes to power again at the Centre they will change the Constitution and there will not be any elections,” Mamata warned.

As for the BJP’s claim of conducting NRC in Bengal if voted to power again, Mamata said that they should first win a seat in Bengal in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.