JOIN USWest Bengal Assembly Elections | First contest against Abhishek, then me: CM Mamata challenges Amit Shah
Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's repeated attacks on her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday challenged him to first contest against Abhishek and then think of fighting her.
Referring to Shah's "Didi- bhatija" jibe, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said that instead of just referring to Abhishek as "bhatija" (nephew), Shah should first contest against him and then take his name.
"Everyday you (Shah) keep saying 'Didi-bhatija'. You can think of fighting Didi later, first you fight against Bhatija. I am challenging Amit Shah, first you contest against Abhishek Banerjee and take his name," said Mamata. She was speaking at a TMC rally at Pailan in South 24 Paraganas district.
The TMC supremo dared Shah to publicly tell what Abhishek had done and said that if he failed to do so, then his son would also not be spared from corruption charges. However, the Chief Minister did not directly mention Jay Shah. Her comments came hours after Shah alleged that the TMC was only bothered about "Bhatija kalyan"( welfare of the nephew).
"If you don't publicly say what Abhishek has done, then your son will also not be spared from corruption charges. You shield your son and abuse others. This can't go on.," said Mamata.
"Your son (Jay Shah) is also my bhatija. How did he become a leader in cricket administration? How did he earn crores of rupees all of a sudden?," said Mamata.
She said that Abhishek was "never given any priority" in the TMC, adding that he could have taken the easy way of being elected to the Rajya Sabha but he decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections.
Reacting to Shah's claim that the BJP would come to power in Bengal by winning more than 200 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections, Mamata said that the TMC would break all its previous records and would win highest number of seats in the 2021 Assembly elections.
"Amit Shah, remember we will break all our records and win the highest number of seats in the Assembly elections. I will rather die than to bow down to the BJP. You can't even tackle farmers and you are talking about fighting Didi!" said Mamata.
"Remember, the fight is between me and the BJP. Don't bother about who the (TMC) candidate is. I am the candidate in all the 294 Assembly seats," she added.