West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (Express photo) Slamming the BJP as a “party of Duryodhana and Dushasana”, TMC leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Thursday that the BJP’s ‘poriborton’ (change) slogan was “my slogan” and that it was simply trying to “copy” her.
Campaigning for her party in Garbeta, Keshiary and Kharagpur, Banerjee exuded confidence that the TMC would return to power and “after winning Bengal, we will jump to Delhi and shake the BJP”.
Describing the Assembly polls as a “semi-final before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls”, she said, “I believe that in this election, there will be a loud and clear message from Bengal against the BJP. Bengal will decide the future of our country and will bring ‘poriborton’ in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. This Bengal election will decide the fate of the BJP in 2024. Let us unite and fight against the BJP.”
She asked TMC youth workers to remain alert at polling booths on voting days.
“They (BJP) may create a snag in the EVMs. I am requesting my workers not to leave the place. Wait at the polling booth. When the new machine comes, ask officials to switch on and switch off the machine twice,” she said.
“My youth workers need to work harder. Now they are working 12 hours a day. But they need to work 18 hours a day because BJP goons will try to rig EVMs. After polling, make teams with separate colour jerseys to guard the EVMs. While guarding EVMs, don’t accept anything like tea and snacks from anyone. It could be mixed with sedatives. If we have to fight against the evil forces, then we have to remain careful,” she said.
Calling the BJP “rotten, corrupt and a party of rioters”, she said: “Poriborton is my slogan. Why are you copying Mamata Banerjee? We used this slogan to oust the CPM.”
Targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Banerjee said, “One outsider is coming to Bengal, staying at a five-star hotel, eating five-star food and talking about welfare of the poor. He is not only fooling people, but also misleading them in the name of development. They don’t even know the culture of Bengal. They only know divisive politics.”
“BJP says saamne Hari Hari, pichhone dakati kori (sing Hari Hari before everyone and rob behind the covers). But we say saamne Hari Hari, pichhone manush ke pujo kori (sing Hari Hari before everyone, and worship people behind the covers),” she said.