Amit Shah Sets Ambitious Targets for BJP in Bengal, Aims for Electoral Success

Kolkata: Union home minister Amit Shah, in a bid to challenge the Trinamul Congress’ mighty rule in West Bengal, set his revised targets with tougher goals before the BJP on Wednesday for electoral success in the state in the next Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

Mr Shah, who predicted from Birbhum in April this year the Mamata Banerjee government’s fall before 2025 if BJP bags 35 seats in 2024, sought his party this time to win “so many” seats next year that Narendra Modi would thank Bengal for his third term as the Prime Minister.

Renewing his vow to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the country the union home minister also asked BJP to get a two-third majority to come to power in the state two years later.

He told a party rally in Dharmatala, “In 2026, the BJP will form the government with two-third majority here. Before that there will be 2024 polls. In 2019, you gave us 18 seats. I urge you with folded hands to give us so many seats that Modiji says after taking oath that he was able to become the PM again because of Bengal.”

On the CAA, Mr Shah argued, “Can development happen in a state where infiltration is havoc? That's why Ms Banerjee opposes CAA and doesn't want it to happen. But I am telling her that CAA is a law of the country. No one can stop it. We will ensure its implementation. The Hindu brothers and sisters, who migrated here, have as much rights as we have in this country. No one can deprive them of their rights.”

He however warned the TMC of facing a ‘Badla’ (revenge) for killing 212 BJP workers in the state. “Our party workers across the state and country are ready to take Badla for these killings. In 2026 when polls will be held, it will become evident how Badla is taken politically by casting votes.”

Daring chief minister Mamata Banerjee to suspend her arrested TMC leaders, Jyotipriyo Mullick, Anubrata Mondal and Partha Chatterjee, now in jail, from her party, Mr Shah further claimed that the NDA government provided her government funds at least three times higher than what the UPA-rule did. He however accused the TMC of amassing the funds.

Ms Banerjee, who alongwith her party MLAs, wearing black, sat in dharna on the Assembly premises during the day  over the Centre's apathy in releasing public welfare funds to the state  government, called Mr Shah’s rally “flop.” She said, “There is no point in showing me Modi or Shah.” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien compared the union home minister with the “migratory birds” for flying on a brief visit to the state during winter.