Home Minister Amit Shah, who spent the day in West Bengal on the campaign trail, is learnt to have asked for a “detailed report on the Sandeshkhali sting”. BJP sources said that the Union Home Minister held an organisation meeting late last night and asked the BJP State leadership to submit to him a detailed report on the Sandeshkhali “sting operation”.
After being on the backfoot for months since the women of Sandeshkhali rose in protest against the sexual exploitation and land-grabby Trinamool Congress leaders, the party struck back on Saturday, unveiling a 30-minute “sting” in which a local BJP leader is heard saying that senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had orchestrated the complaints of sexual crimes in Sandeshkhali.
Meanwhile, in twin rallies in Krishnanagar and Durgapur in support of party candidates, Amit Shah exhorted the people to “vote fearlessly”. and defy the “threats of the ruling Trinamool Congress”. He also asserted that he was confident that the BJP would win at least 30 seats in West Bengal.
After holding a one-km roadshow on Krishnanagar’s Sadar Hospital Road on a truck decked with multi-colour flowers in support of BJP candidate Rajmata Amrita Roy, Shah said the Election Commission has already assured the countrymen that elections would be free and fair and strict action would be taken against any intimidation. Shah started the procession around 12:30 p.m. from Beldanga More.
“Only the BJP can stop infiltration in Bengal and hence Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs people’s support for returning to the saddle for the third successive term in Parliament,” Shah asserted.
Shah spelt out a long list of corrupt activities in Bengal under the Mamata Banerjee Government like “cut money business, extortion, arrest of the ministers after being caught with crores of money, discovery of bomb-making factories and confiscation of arms and ammunition, torture of the sisters and women at Sandeshkhali by TMC goons.” Shah said the list was unending as the Mamata Banerjee Government had failed to deliver goods to the people.
“This TMC Government cannot stop all these irregularities and various scams unless the people root out the present Government to make way for the BJP to come to power by voting generously on the lotus symbol,” the Union Home Minister said.
Shah also thanked the people of Krishnanagar for joining his roadshow defying the heatwave and scorching sun and urged all to vote for Roy in large numbers on May 13, the fourth phase of polling.
“The BJP will end the menace of infiltration in the State. The TMC can never stop it. I would request all of you to ensure the victory of the BJP candidate from this seat. Seeing such a huge crowd and support of the people, I am confident of a victory in Krishnanagar,” Shah said at the conclusion of the roadshow.
Thousands of locals queued up on both sides of the road and watched the procession pass.
Earlier Rajmata Amrita Roy told the gathering: “Do not fear and cast your vote courageously as the TMC goons have been saying that if any Hindu voter found near the BJP booths will be dealt accordingly.”
BJP’s Amrita Roy, from the Krishnanagar royal family, is taking on the Trinamool Congress’s Mahua Moitra who won the seat in2019 and was expelled last year from the Lok Sabha in an alleged cash-for-query scam. The Trinamool Congress has re-nominated her from the seat.
In Durgapur, where Amit Shah campaigned for Dilip Ghosh, the Union Home Minister assured the people of Durgapur of reopening all closed factories in this industrial district.
He also assured the people that the Narendra Modi Government planned to pump in more funds for Durgapur Steel Plantand Urea factory here.
Addressing an election rally in favour of Durgapur-Bardhaman Lok Sabha candidate Dilip Ghosh, Shah accused the Mamata Banerjee-led State Government of letting her goons run a reign of terror across Bengal and said industries were closed down for alleged extortion.
He accused the Trinamool Congress Government of encouraging infiltrators from across the borders to increase Mamata Banerjee’s vote bank.
Shah said several unlawful elements, who were against the national interests, were also taking shelter in the border areas.