Remember Jangalmahal bloodshed? Mamata Banerjee cautions voters against CPM

Shilda/Ranibandh (West Bengal): Warning the people of tribal Jangalmahal against voting for CPM, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said the region would witness Maoist violence again if the party returns to power. “Now peace has returned. If you allow CPM to return to power, violence will again hit Jangalmahal (former Maoist stronghold in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore districts). “The area had hit the headlines for bloodshed during Left Front rule,” Banerjee said at an election meeting here on the second day of her campaign in West Midnapore. She claimed that since Trinamool Congress government has come to the power, there had been an all round development of Junglemahal region and Left Wing Extremism had also been contained. [caption id=“attachment_2697282” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PTI[/caption] Listing the development work undertaken by her government in the area, the Trinamool Congress supremo said “I am not like a cuckoo which is seen only during spring. I always come here and you always get me”. Reacting to her statement, Surjya Kanta Mishra, CPM state secretary, said, “She is saying don’t vote for the Opposition. She is afraid. “She said that anarchy will return. But anarchy prevailed during the rule of Trinamool Congress. Democracy is trampled and corruption is rampant,” he said at Ranibandh in Bankura district while speaking at an election meeting. He alleged that under TMC rule no industry was set up and chit fund businesses flourished, while farmers did not get return for their crop and committed suicide. At Shilda, Banerjee while referring to the Congress-Left electoral pact said, “Congress and CPM have become bhai bhai (brothers). Congress has now become CPM’s A team. You (the people) have to defeat Congress, CPM and BJP”. Inviting CPI(M)and Congress to fight her “politically”, Banerjee said the parties are jealous of the development work done by her government and have resorted to a smear campaign against TMC. She further said, “Fight me politically. I will be happy. I am nobody’s enemy. There are medicines for many diseases but none for jealousy.” Targeting the BJP also, she said that the party was always looking for an opportunity to foment a riot. Playing the development card, she said, “Now peace has been restored in the area and people are living in harmony. They are getting rice at Rs two per kg and also the benefits of various welfare schemes initiated by the state government”. Reaching out to the voters in ‘alchiki’ (the language of the tribals), Banerjee said her party had also brought out the election manifesto in that language.