BJP president J.P. Nadda on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying she is synonymous with intolerance.
Mr. Nadda, who is on a two-day visit to the State, quoted Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee on cultivating the habits of discipline and tolerance.
Targeting the Trinamool Congress government on numerous fronts, he stated that West Bengal had seen highest political violence and the State “has reached the heights of political intolerance”. One hundred and thirty BJP workers have been killed so far, including one killed on Wednesday and one on December 7.
The BJP chief spoke about the rise of his party in the State and expressed the hope that in the 2021 Assembly polls, it would come to power. “Few years ago, our vote percentage was 4 per cent. From there, in 2014, it increased to 18 per cent and we won two seats. In 2019, we won 18 seats and the percentage increased to 40 per cent. In 2021, we will overthrow the Mamata Banerjee government”, he asserted.
Like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mr. Nadda also claimed that the BJP would win more than 200 of the 294 seats in the State.
Mr. Nadda, who inaugurated nine party offices virtually, said other parties operated from houses of party leaders because they (parties) were run by families. “They are all parties of family and the Trinamool Congress is no exception to it”, he alleged.
In his half an hour speech, Mr. Nadda drew references to the Jana Sangha founder a number of times. The BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Shah had been able to realise the dreams of Mookerjee by abolishing Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Black flags to Nadda
Earlier in the day, when Mr. Nadda reached the party office in Hastings area of the city, a group of youths held posters saying “Go back BJP”. The youths also waved black flags. Speaking to journalists, the protesters said they were protesting against the Central farm laws. Soon BJP supporters gathered and tried to push away the protesters. The situation remained volatile.
The BJP leadership said the protests were held at the behest of Trinamool Congress. Mr. Nadda is likely to visit Bhawanipur, the constituency of the Chief Minister.
