Union Home minister Amit Shah claimed on Sunday that his party would win 26 out of the 30 Assembly seats where polls were held on Saturday during the first phase, leading to a fresh round of verbal sparring with the Trinamul Congress led by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
“Polling was peaceful in both Assam and West Bengal. After discussions with booth-level workers and party leaders, I can say we are going to win 26 out of the 30 seats. BJP will win more than 200 seats in Bengal and form the government,” said Shah, at his residence in Delhi.
“It is not just that we will win these seats, but our victory margin is also going to increase,” he emphasised.
But the Trinamul was quick to counter his claims. “Mind games won’t work. Mo-Sha. Try your seat prediction stunts at the Gujarat Gymkhana. This is Bengal,” tweeted Derek O’Brien, Trinamul’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.
Shah, who is scheduled to campaign in Nandigram on Tuesday, claimed the change of political power in Bengal could start from Nandigram. “If the people of Nandigram can bring the change then there will be change in Bengal,” Shah said.
The Union Home minister also questioned how a telephone conversation between two BJP leaders from Bengal was “leaked” while polling was on.
“We gave that request (not to restrict booth agents only to local residents) in writing to the Election Commission. The question is how was the conversation leaked? Who gave the permission to tap the phones? After the model code of conduct is in vogue can a government issue such an order?” Shah asked.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing a press conference at his residence, in New Delhi on Sunday, March 28, 2021.( PTI
On Sunday evening Mamata was at Reyapara’s Shib Mandir Dol Mela ground in Nandigram to deliver a double dose _ political messaging along with a soiree with Aditi Munshi, the Trinamul nominee for the Rajarhat Assembly seat.
“I have rented a house here (Nandigram). I am staying here till the elections and I will come again after the election is over. They will get a big rasogolla without the ras,” said Mamata who visited her constituency on Sunday for the first time since her foot injury during a political event there.
In all, she is expected to address seven rallies and hold a couple of roadshows there on a wheelchair till Tuesday evening. The first of these was held on Sunday evening after a visit to the local temple in Reyapara.
On Monday and Tuesday, Mamata is expected to address three rallies each in the constituency which has been firmly with the Trinamul since 2008. Monday’s road show will begin from Nandigram block-II.
Ahead of the second-phase of polls, when Mamata herself is among the contenders, the Trinamul called Shah’s statement was an attempt to confuse the voters.
“Amit Shah has a consistent record when it comes to predicting election results. He consistently gets it wrong. Check track record since 2015,” said O’Brien in another tweet.
An accompanying chart showed Shah had claimed the BJP would form governments in Bihar and Delhi in 2015, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in 2018 and in 2019 Jharkhand and Maharashtra and Delhi in 2020. BJP lost in all the states but went on to form governments later in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
Asked about a purported telephonic conversation Mamata had with a BJP leader, who was earlier in her party, to woo him back to her fold, Shah said everyone had the right to solicit support.
TMC leader arrested
Trinamul leader from Lalgarh Chhatradhar Mahato, who was the face of the land movement more than a decade ago, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing several cases against him. Since his release from jail Mahato had joined Trinamul.
