Kolkata, 21 April (H.S.): Amid the West Bengal Assembly election campaign, Trinamool Congress chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and central agencies while addressing a public rally in Haldia, Purba Medinipur. She alleged that pressure was being exerted on the administration and police to work in favour of one political party.

Mamata Banerjee said she had never earlier seen the police working in favour of any party, but now “everyone has united to work for the BJP.” She also alleged that several state officials had been transferred and replaced by outsiders.

Appealing to voters to remain alert, Banerjee said the Trinamool Congress would keep watch in every area and monitor any irregularities. She remarked that if some people had 50 cameras, the public had even more eyes watching them.

The Chief Minister claimed that if the people wanted a government under her leadership, they should forget the individual candidates, as she herself was contesting from all 294 seats. She also targeted BJP leaders, saying many of them were not voters in West Bengal, yet were trying to claim authority over the entire state.

Banerjee further alleged that the BJP was pressuring migrant workers during election time to seek political support. She said that during times of crisis, it was the state government that stood beside workers and even helped bring back the bodies of the deceased.

Referring to events in Nandigram, the Chief Minister said she had personally taken risks to reach the area during difficult times. She added that the people of the region remembered everything and would respond through the ballot box.

Highlighting development work, Mamata Banerjee said investments worth more than ₹50,000 crore had come to Haldia, creating employment for over 1.20 lakh people. She also mentioned industrial parks, pipeline projects, port development and expansion of hospitals, adding that a major hospital would also be built in Digha.

She said that after winning the election, her first visit would be to Lalgarh, where she could not attend a scheduled rally earlier. Banerjee asserted that the Trinamool Congress was set to return to power in West Bengal once again.

Mamata Banerjee had four rallies scheduled on Tuesday. After Haldia, her campaign programme included Barrackpore, Jagaddal and Jorasanko in Kolkata.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh