Accusing the CPI(M) and the Congress, its key allies in the Opposition INDIA bloc, of colluding with the BJP in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that the TMC would spearhead the fight against the saffron camp in the eastern state in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a gathering of party workers at Deganga in North 24 Parganas district, the TMC supremo highlighted the BJP's labelling of opposition figures as "thieves" and contended that the country has transformed into a "democracy run by central agencies".

"The CPI(M), BJP, and the Congress have forged an alliance in West Bengal and are actively campaigning against us. The INDIA Opposition alliance will confront the saffron camp nationwide, with the TMC spearheading the battle against the BJP in West Bengal," she asserted.

In an outreach to the substantial population in the district of people originally hailing from adjoining Bangladesh, Banerjee accused the BJP of manipulating the citizenship issue for political gains.

"The BJP is exploiting the citizenship issue for its political agenda. It is misleading the people on the issue. Previously, district magistrates decided citizenship matters, but now those powers have been stripped away from them. If people lack citizenship, how are they accessing government schemes and services?" she questioned.

Banerjee's comments followed closely on the heels of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Tuesday that no one can prevent the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as it is the law of the land. Shah had also accused Banerjee of misleading people on the issue.

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