Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee amidst the third phase of West Bengal Assembly polls on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said she has scored a self-goal in politics after her “khela” in Nandigram.
Addressing a public meeting in Cooch Behar, PM Modi said, “Didi, people say you play a lot of football. Didi, the day you did ‘khela’ at the polling booth in Nandigram, the same day the country knew that you have lost the elections. You have already scored an own goal in politics like in football!” “Didi, you are not proud that West Bengal is seeing more than 80 per cent voter turnout. It means that you are losing. Recently, you (Mamata Banerjee) appealed for Muslim unity and said their votes should not divide. It shows that the Muslim vote bank, which you considered as your strength, has slipped out of our hands,” he said.
On the occasion, he also coined the slogan “Chalo Paltai” (let us make the change).
“For 10 years, women, Dalits, backward classes, farmers and tea workers were subjected to injustices, but Didi (Mamata Banerjee), you were just an onlooker. Didi has started a new tax in Bengal—‘Bhaipo Service Tax’! For this reason, today the voice is coming from every corner of Bengal—‘Chalo Paltai, Chalo Paltai’ (let us make the change).”
“When your party announces that Didi will now contest from Varanasi, then anyone can easily understand that TMC’s is going to be faded away. Every day you have to say that you are winning Nandigram. But after the game you played on the polling day in Nandigram, the entire country got to know that you have lost. Didi, your anger, your resentment, your behaviour and your speech describe that you have lost the election,” stated Prime Minister Modi.
Prime Minister Modi said the people of West Bengal have paved the way for TMC’s departure. “In the last two phases of voting, Didi’s departure has already been confirmed. People in huge numbers have come out and voted in our favour. The wave of BJP in Bengal has cornered Didi’s goons and her nephew,” he said.
Meanwhile, the third phase of polling is underway in 31 Assembly constituencies including eight in Hooghly, seven in Howrah and 16 in South 24 Parganas. There are 205 candidates in the fray in this round of polling. However, when it comes to women representation, there are only 13 women candidates contesting in this phase, merely six per cent.
Polling for the first two phases of the West Bengal elections was held on 27 March and 1 April respectively. The fourth phase of polling will take place on 10 April. The counting of votes will take place on 2 May.
PM halts speech, asks his doctors to assist unwell woman
PM Modi on Tuesday asked his team of doctors to treat a woman who faced some issues due to dehydration at an election rally in Cooch Behar.
The Prime Minister, while addressing the rally, halted his speech and directed his medical team to assist a woman who was feeling unwell at the venue. The Prime Minister also asked the volunteers at the rally to immediately provide water to the woman. Meanwhile, the third phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls is underway on Tuesday.