Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda will be campaigning in West Bengal on Tuesday, four days ahead of the first phase of polling in the state, where the saffron party and Trinamool Congress are locked in a tight contest. Shah will start his day with a public meeting at Gosaba in the South 24 Parganas district at noon followed by a roadshow at 3 pm in Medinipur. Nadda, on the other hand, will lead a roadshow from Ghatal Town Kushpata to Ghatal Town Central Bus Stand.
BJP National President Shri @JPNadda's public programs on 23rd March 2021 in Assam and West Bengal.
— BJP (@BJP4India) March 22, 2021
Watch on
• https://t.co/ZFyEVlvvQi
• https://t.co/vpP0MI6iTu
• https://t.co/lcXkSnweeN
• https://t.co/jtwD1yPhm4 pic.twitter.com/V4n9pYHpmK
On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of making false promises to the people of her state. Addressing a public meeting in Bankura, she said the central government was just eager to sell its stakes in several public sector undertakings. “Those who cast votes last time, I want to ask you: Did BJP transfer Rs 15 lakh to each account? At the time of the election they come and take away your vote by making false promises that they will give you rice and dal (pulses),” she was quoted as saying. To the BJP’s proposal of reservation for women in government jobs, should the Bengal electorate give them a chance, Mamata said her government had already taken several measures to empower women. She said her party, which has been in power for 10 years, gave 50 percent reservation in the village and municipality to women. Panchayats have 50 percent reservation too, she said, adding that mothers and sisters are there in panchayats and municipalities. Meanwhile, Congress released its manifesto for the Assembly polls in the state, where it has allied with the Left. The grand old party said that it was focused on restoring the glory that Bengal enjoyed during the 1950s-60s when Bidhan Chandra Roy headed the state government. The party also said that it didn’t believe in “politics of freebies” but the development of Bengal in its entirety. Of the 294 assembly seats, Congress is contesting in 90-odd constituencies as part of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) with the Left. The first of the eight phases of elections to 294 seats in Bengal takes place on March 27.