Shah and Mamata trade salvos as game of blaming each other goes on

KOLKATA:  Election campaign in West Bengal is turning out to be a contest to outscream each other. More than political agendas, parties are pursuing personal lines of attack and indulging in a game of mu slinging. Tuesday was no different as West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Union Home Minister Amit Shah traded barbs during addressing ralliess.

Shah hit out at Mamata’s nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and accused him of messing up with funds sent by the Centre as relief for the victims of Cyclone Amphan. The CM branded BJP as a party of monsters and dacoits.

Addressing a rally in Gosaba, a stronghold of the ruling TMC in South 24 Parganas district, Shah warned that all those involved in the compensation scam will be put behind bars if the saffron party comes to power in the state.

“Modiji had sent Rs 10,000 crore for Amphan relief. Did you get its benefit? Nephew and his associates siphoned off the fund. After coming to power, we will set up a special investigation team and probe all discrepancies. No one will be spared. We will put all those involved in the scam behind bars,’’ said Shah without mentioning Abhishek’s name.

TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee termed Shah’s claim false. “The Centre had given only Rs 1,000 crore against our demand of Rs 6,000 crore,’’ he said. In a prompt reply after Shah’s attack, Mamata said: “They (BJP) want to run one factory in the country which is manufacturing lies. They are selling everything. BJP is a party of monsters and dacoits.’’

Though Mamata had hitherto not named the saffron camp for the injury on her leg, on Tuesday she held BJP responsible for the incident. “BJP thought I would not leave home after they hit my leg. My one leg is enough to kick them out of Bengal,’’ she said at a rally in Purulia district.