Kolkata: A day after BJP president Amit Shah gave a clarion call to uproot the ruling Trinamool Congress in 2016 Assembly polls from a rally here, TMC on Monday held another procession saying 'migratory birds' never win.
"Those who come to Bengal as migratory birds, address a rally and go back to Delhi will never win here", said TMC MP and the chief minister's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who was at the helm of the rally organised by the party's youth wing.
"Before the recent Assembly bypolls in the Chowringhee seat in Kolkata, TMC was trailing there by 1500 votes (in that Assembly segment of South Kolkata Lok Sabha seat in the general election) After Amit Shah campaigned, we won by 15000 votes", Abhishek said in the rally, which was seen as a show of strength of TMC after BJP's meet.
"Has the main speaker at BJP's rally yesterday talked of development, peace or communal harmony?" he asked.
The people of Bengal want peace and prosperity while BJP spent money to turn Parui in Birbhum district into Nandigram and failed, Abhishek, the national president of Trinamool Youth Congress said.
Parui area was recently in news for frequent clashes between supporters between Trinamool Congress and BJP.
"This year we won 34 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. In 2016 we will win all the 294 seats in the Assembly," Abhishek said and warned that if Shah tried to take on Mamata Banerjee, he would face a thumping defeat.
Stating that "Mamataji wanted to know who Amit Shah is," the BJP chief yesterday said he was a small BJP worker who have come to uproot the 'corrupt' TMC regime from Bengal.
Abhishek said his aunt, who is the Chief Minister, was not going to rebut Shah as he is not of her stature.
Banerjee did not attend today's meet but other top TMC leaders was at the rally.
Senior leader and Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee said "We have to be careful and alert. We have to save Bengal from these elements who want to destabilise the state".
"I have seen Mamata for a long time. She wears a plain saree and hawai chappals. She even pays for her own tea," said Mukherjee, who is known to be Banerjee's political mentor.
TMC general secretary Mukul Roy said "Those who pointed fingers at us were themselves charge sheeted by CBI. Those who want to divide Bengal have no place in this state."
"Those who have the blood of Gujarat on their hands will engage in communal politics.... In spite of all the propaganda, Bengal will continue to prosper under Mamata Banerjee," Urban Development Minister Firdhad Hakim said.
TMC secretary-general and Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said "BJP should concentrate on Delhi instead of Bengal".
"The fight before us is one against smear campaign by a section of media and Opposition", state TMC president Subrata Bakshi said.
