Mamata Banerjee has handed state’s future to Humayun, Jahangir: Bengal BJP chief
Kolkata, April 28 (IANS) West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Samik Bhattacharya on Tuesday took a veiled jibe at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying that the latter has handed over the state’s future to “Humayun and Jahangir”. The jibe was purportedly aimed at Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan and former party leader Humayun Kabir.
His reaction came following Khan’s criticism of the Election Commission (EC)-appointed police observer Ajay Pal Sharma, after the latter was allegedly seen issuing threats to his family members and locals in Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas district’s Diamond Harbour.
Speaking to IANS, Bhattacharya said: “This is an issue related to the Election Commission. It is the duty of the agency to conduct free and fair elections, for that whom they will bring and whom they will not, is up to them.”
As many as 142 Assembly constituencies, including Falta, will go to poll in the second and final phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal on Wednesday.
The EC has appointed IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, known as the ‘encounter specialist’ of Uttar Pradesh, as the new police observer of South 24 Parganas district. This is seen as a step to maintain law and order in various sensitive areas of the state ahead of the second phase of voting on Wednesday.
The Bengal BJP unit also said: “Mamata Banerjee has handed over the future of the state to Humayun, Jahangir…it cannot work like this.”
Further taking a swipe at the Trinamool Congress, the State BJP President called the Diamond Harbour area, as a “diamond model”.
The Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency is currently represented by Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee.
“Diamond Harbour’s situation is different than rest of the West Bengal. It is a diamond model. For the past so many years the Opposition has not been able to conduct any meeting or rally there. Many party workers have been killed,” Bhattacharya said.
He accused the Trinamool Congress activists of vandalising the vehicles of BJP leaders in West Bengal.
“In view of all this, whatever the Election Commission is deciding is correct. The (Trinamool Congress) goons do not have sense of fear within them, that needs to be brought back,” the State BJP President said.
Bhattacharya was optimistic that the second phase of polling will also witness a high voter turnout in the state, similar to the first polling phase.
–IANS
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