Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged Meghalaya electors to give her party a chance in next week’s Assembly elections, asserting that it would “show the way to remove” the BJP from power at the Centre next year.
Addressing a massive rally at Rajabala in the Garo Hills, in the run-up to the February 27 elections, the Bengal chief minister exhorted the electorate to ensure a Trinamul victory, claiming it would be her party that would take the lead in ousting the BJP from Delhi.
“Cast your votes in favour of the Trinamul Congress in Meghalaya, and tomorrow we will show the way on how to remove the BJP from the country. Vote for TMC and we will defeat BJP in the 2024 (Lok Sabha) elections. This is our commitment,” said Mamata, urging the voters to change the “corrupt and scandalous” NPP-led Meghalaya government, in which the BJP is a constituent.
Targeting the BJP, she in her 20-minute speech underscored the promise of inclusive governance, attacked the misuse of central agencies, alleged scams in the northeastern state, and criticised inflation.
“We respect all religions. I believe my first and foremost duty is to be with the people. No religion is bigger than the religion of humanity and of standing by the people,” she said.
“Everyday, the BJP is knocking on our doors through the ED and the CBI. They think all people are corrupt, while they (the BJP) are saints,” she added.
Trinamul is contesting 56 of Meghalaya’s 60 Assembly seats. The NPP is contesting in 57, while the Congress and the BJP have fielded candidates in all seats.
The Trinamul chief further said the Delhi-based BJP and the Congress could never be friends of the people of Meghalaya.
“They were in power for so many years but could not even build roads in Meghalaya. Trinamul Congress is the party that works for the people,” she said.
“Outsiders want to rule here, while oppressing you with (the citizenship matrix), bullets, and scandals. Do not tolerate this. Meghalaya will be run by Meghalaya and not from Guwahati or Delhi. We too won’t run it from Bengal. We are your friends and will only help you with whatever you need,” added Mamata.
Yet again, she obliquely referred to the Gautam Adani issue, voicing her concern over the future of the SBI and the LIC – on account of their debt or investment exposure to the Adani group, stocks of which have taken a mega tumble following the Hindenburg report last month. Mamata said nobody knows for sure what the future holds for the SBI and the LIC. “You have kept your money in State Bank, in LIC. What is the future? There is no future,” she said.
Referring to the ever-growing fuel prices in the BJP-regime, Mamata said: “When people have a disease, they want real medicine.” “You cast your vote in favour of TMC, and we will give a political medicine to wash away the BJP from the whole country. I am confident,” she added.
“We will abide by our secular Constitution. Let us build our democracy, our humanity.” Her political heir-apparent and nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who also addressed the rally, assured that their party would implement the WE Card, a beneficiary scheme for women, within a month of coming to power.
