The central agencies that are at present targeting opposition leaders will be after the BJP following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed on Thursday, asserting that the government at the Centre will last for three more months.
Addressing TMC workers at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here, she said that after the arrest of her party's leaders in different cases, the expulsion of MP Mahua Moitra was being planned but it would eventually help her before the elections.
Last week, Moitra, who is facing recommendations for expulsion from Lok Sabha, was tasked with strengthening the party's organisation in Nadia district, in a clear message of support from the TMC.
"Now, they are planning to expel Mahua (from Parliament). She will become more popular as a result. Whatever she used to say inside (Parliament), she will now say those things outside. Would anyone do something like this three months before the elections if he is not stupid?" Banerjee said, addressing a special session of the party at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had forwarded a complaint against the Trinamul Congress member by lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing her of taking bribes for asking questions in the House at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, headed by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, submitted its report on the allegation against Moitra to the speaker's office earlier this month.
The report, adopted by a majority in the Committee, recommended Moitra's expulsion from the House, accusing her of accepting "illegal gratifications" to raise questions in Parliament at the behest of the businessman.
Moitra, in response, dismissed the decision as a "prefixed match by a kangaroo court" and deemed it a "death of parliamentary democracy".
"Central agencies targeting opposition leaders at present will go after the BJP following the 2024 elections," she told party workers.
"This government at the Centre is there for three more months," she said.
"Now, they are planning to expel Mahua (from Parliament). She will become more popular as a result. Whatever she used to say inside (Parliament), she will now say those things outside. Would anyone do something like this three months before the elections if he is not stupid?" Banerjee said.
The statement in favour of Moitra is being seen as a clear message of support for the beleaguered TMC MP fighting allegations of "cash for query".
Banerjee also claimed that the BJP-led government wants to do away with reservations and maintained that she will oppose it.
"BJP is also against the reservation for minorities, but we will bring them under the system through OBC quota," she added.
Banerjee also alleged that attempts of "saffronising" the country were underway in full swing -- from Metro railway stations to the cricket team.
"Saffron is the colour of 'tyagis', but you are 'bhogis'," she said, targeting the BJP, claiming that players resisted, as a result, the Indian cricket team did not have to wear the saffron practice jersey during matches.
"They are trying to paint the entire country saffron. We are proud of our Indian players, and I believe that we would have won the World Cup if the finals had taken place in Calcutta or Wankhede (in Mumbai)," she said.
Continuing her attack on the BJP, Banerjee said that wherever sinners go, they take along their sins.
"The Indian team played so well that they won all the matches in the World Cup, except the one attended by the sinners," she said, without naming anyone.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a poll speech in Rajasthan, had used the 'panauti' barb against PM Narendra Modi as he had attended the World Cup final which India lost to Australia after 10 consecutive wins in the tournament.
The BJP has demanded action by the Election Commission against Gandhi for his comment.
Banerjee also attacked the Centre over the state of the country's economy.
"The banking sector is in the doldrums and PSUs are being sold," she said, noting that the unemployment rate was also very high.
She took on the BJP over the allegations of cow smuggling to Bangladesh through West Bengal.
"Cows for smuggling to Bangladesh are brought from different states, including UP. Who takes the cut there," she asked.
The chief minister said that West Bengal was fast evolving as a destination for investment.
"All big IT companies are investing in Kolkata's 'Silicon Valley' project," she said.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.