For TMC’s first anniversary in third-time reign, BJP presents ‘charge sheet’ of concerns

The BJP in West Bengal has come out with a ‘charge sheet’ raising its concerns about the functioning of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in power. After being voted to power for the third consecutive time, the TMC completed its first year of governance on May 2.

BJP’s state president Sukanta Majumdar released a 10-point argument alleging that the ruling party’s tenure has been extremely violent. He claimed that in the post-poll violence 15,000 BJP workers were forced to leave their homes, and 56 party workers lost their lives since the assembly elections concluded last year.

The BJP has also professed that the Trinamool-led government has failed to tackle unemployment in the state and that it is higher in West Bengal than in other BJP-ruled states. Majumdar said that in absence of job offers, posts have been lying vacant.

According to the BJP, several business summits organised during TMC’s tenure have failed to draw even 50 per cent of intended investments. The argument also states that public debt is high, and women are unsafe in the state.

The opposition party is also critical of the state-supported public health insurance scheme, and TMC’s opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The TMC, on the other hand, dedicated its victory day—May 2—dedicated the day to Ma-Maati-Manush (Mother, Motherland, and People).

The BJP has not achieved desired results in the civic elections, or in the Lok Sabha by-poll for the Asansol seat, which the party lost to TMC this year.

In a related development, BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in the West Bengal on Thursday and Friday, to attend several programmes. Besides his official engagements, Shah is expected to address a public meeting at Siliguri on Thursday. He is also expected to meet BJP MLAs and MPs, and other party functionaries in Kolkata, on Friday.