KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a dig at the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress TMC said the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP will bring in 'asol poriborton' (real change) in West Bengal.
Addressing an election rally at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground PM Modi accused the TMC Supremo of betraying the people of Bengal. Assuring the people of Bengal of bringing in real change, he promised that the BJP government will work on creating jobs and improving educational facilities for the youth. He further assured of a state "where people are not forced to migrate, where investments pour in, where the poorest of the poor gets chance of advancement, where infiltration is stopped and people will regain faith in civil and police administration."
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee who is holding a 'padayatra' in Siliguri dared Modi for a one-on-one debate. "Poribortan (change) will happen in Delhi, not in Bengal. He (PM Modi) said there is no women security in Bengal but look at UP, Bihar & other states. Women are safe in Bengal," Mamata Banerjee added.
Banerjee is protesting in Siliguri against the steep hike in the price of LPG cylinders. Accompanied by thousands of supporters, she took off a protest march from Darjeeling More around 2 pm. Banerjee claimed that the LPG cylinders would soon be beyond the reach of common man. Many were seen holding red-coloured cardboard replicas of LPG cylinders at the 'yatra', which was led by Banerjee and joined by her ministerial colleague Chandrima Bhattacharya, and party MPs Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan just ahead of the International Women's Day.
The elections to the 294 seats in West Bengal will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. The results will be declared on May 2. The state will witness a triangular contest between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP and an alliance between Left parties, Congress and the Indian Secular Front.