Shah warns Mamata, says BJP's 'vijay rath' can't be stopped

Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Amit Shah on Tuesday attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging she was focused on trying to save her chit fund scam 'tainted' leaders instead of governing the state and was jeopardising national security for vote bank politics.

Kicking off BJP's membership drive in West Bengal, he warned Mamata that she cannot stop his party's 'vijay rath' (victory march) in the state by "unleashing atrocities" on its workers and claimed that public support for his party "will drown the Trinamool Congress in the waters of Ganga".

Shah said Mamata's rule was worse than Communists. He accused her of giving priority to vote-bank politics instead of national security and that her government did not investigate the Burdwan blast case properly and also did not do anything to save public money from going into the hands of chit fund accused.

Addressing a public rally here, Shah said his party was ready to wage a struggle in the state. The BJP chief said the National Democratic Alliance government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to do a lot for Bengal, "but Mamata Banerjee is not giving us an opportunity to do so".

"Mamata Banerjee's focus is not on development of Bengal, but on saving her people in the chit fund scam...For vote bank politics Bengal government did not properly investigate Burdwan blast and objected to an National Investigative Agency probe...TMC government has given priority to vote bank politics over national security," he said addressing a rally here.

Exhorting people of Bengal to usher in a "parivartan" (change), Shah said, "I am constrained to say that Mamata has given a regime that is worst than even communists. Are you ready for a Parivartan..."

"While Narendra Modi has taken the country forward on the path of development, Trinamool Congress is taking the state backwards...." he said, adding that a number of industries have shut in Bengal in recent times ushering in unemployment.

Shah said, "I want to tell Mamata that in a democracy she cannot ensure victory by unleashing atrocities on BJP workers. You cannot stop BJP's 'Vijay Rath' in Bengal with atrocities as the people of Bengal are with BJP now."

"We are ready for the path of struggle. The seas of public support in favour of BJP will drown Trinamool Congress in the waters of Ganga and no one will be able to find it."

He said Mamata's TMC cannot bring development in Bengal, neither can it do good of the people or provide jobs to the youth.

"Give the BJP an opportunity to ensure Bengal's development," he said, appealing to the people to support Modi's agenda of development.

Shah today launched the party's campaign to expand its base in West Bengal, where BJP is trying to project itself as an alternative, under its ambitious membership drive.