The political campaign in West Bengal got shriller with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and senior BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, keeping up a barrage of attacks on each other.
Ms. Banerjee on Friday alleged that there could be plot to “assassinate her”.
Addressing a public meeting at Memari in Bardhaman, she said, “Amit Shah how much money you have. You are spending crores .. From where you have got so much money? After I have said this, I know there can be plot to assassinate me. They have injured my leg; now there can be a plot to assassinate me. I don’t care. As long as I am alive, I will keep raising the issues.”
The Chief Minister’s remarks come after the Election Commission (ECI) of India issued two notices to her, one in connection with remarks against division of minority votes and the other regarding her remarks directed at security forces where she had asked women voters to gherao them.
Speaking at another public meeting Ms. Banerjee hit out at ECI saying that she would continue speaking about CRPF interference till it stops working for the BJP.
“I will continue speaking about interference by CPRF till it stops working for the BJP. Will salute the force, once it does. I do not care anything about your (ECI's) show cause letters,” she said at a rally in Jamalpur.
Keeping up the political temperature, senior BJP leaders including continued to target the Trinamool Congress chairperson in their campaigns.
“I have never seen a Chief Minister or party chief use words Mamata Banerjee is using against central forces in my entire political career. Is she trying to create anarchy,” Mr Shah said, addressing journalists in Kolkata. The Home Minister said during the polls the forces are not under the control of Home Ministry but the ECI.
While Mr Shah raised the issue of infiltration and said even the people in Kolkata were concerned about the issue, he also said Ms Banerjee’s appeal for minority unity indicated that minority votes were drifting away from the Trinamool Congress.
The Home Minister held a door-to-door campaign in Bhawanipore in the heart of the city, a constituency that Ms Banerjee had represented in 2011 and 2016. Mr Shah participated in a road show in Jagadal in North 24 Parganas while party president J.P. Nadda was present at a road show in Bardhaman.
