‘Conspiracy’ Vs ‘no conspiracy’ – Mamata, Shah raise poll pitch as Bengal election nears

While West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cried “conspiracy” over the Nandigram incident last week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chose to refrain from using the term when his helicopter suffered a glitch on Monday. Mamata had suffered injuries while campaigning in Nandigram on March 10, an incident the ruling party claimed was a “BJP conspiracy to take her life”. 

‘Won’t call it a conspiracy’

In a jibe at the Trinamool Congress supremo, Shah said he wouldn’t call it a “conspiracy”. 

“I am a little late today because of some glitch in my helicopter but I won’t call it a conspiracy,” Shah said while virtually addressing a rally in poll-bound West Bengal’s Ranibandh. The senior leader also highlighted that the Election Commission has also rejected the possibility of a pre-meditated attack. 

“130 people (BJP workers) have died in your regime. Do you understand their pain? You only know your pain after your leg injury,” Shah said.

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‘Thin crowd’

Reacting to Shah’s remark, the ruling TMC claimed that the glitch was actually “poor turnout” and posted images showing a thin crowd and empty chairs at the Jhargram rally ground.

Meanwhile, TMC MP and Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek, also mocked Shah for cancelling his rally. 

“Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled rally at Jhargram was cancelled due to some technical glitch, it seems.

Anyways, the photos of the rally that I have received show very few people. More people watch excavation work done by an earthmover or sip tea at a village shop than those present at the senior BJP leader’s public meeting,” he said.

‘…as long as my heart beats’

Despite the Election Commission ruling out any attack on her, Mamata Banerjee seems stuck with the “conspiracy” allegation. Addressing two rallies in Purulia, Mamata said that no conspiracy or injury can stop her from taking forward her battle against the saffron camp, and said the BJP, despite bringing in leaders from Delhi, will cut no ice with the people of Bengal.

Mamata said she would continue her fight against the BJP “as long as her heart beats and vocal cords function”. 

The TMC boss claimed that “no other government in the world has done as much work for its people as her dispensation”. 

Launching a scathing attack on the Centre over rise in fuel prices and disinvestment of PSUs, Banerjee said, “Their (BJP’s) prime minister cannot run the country, (he is) totally incompetent.”

She further urged people not to cast their votes in favour of the Congress and the CPI(M), claiming that the two parties and the BJP are “all brothers-in-arms”.

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