Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, stating that she opposes PM Modi’s schemes from reaching the people because she’s afraid they’ll support him.

While addressing a public gathering in Karandighi of West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district, Shah said, “Mamata Didi does not let Modi Ji’s schemes reach the people; she stops them. She is afraid that if Modi Ji’s schemes reach the people of Bengal, they will support him.”

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He further implored the people of West Bengal to support PM Modi, underscoring critical issues such as quelling violence, halting infiltration, ensuring citizenship for refugees, and upholding the dignity of women.

“If you want to free Bengal of violence, stop infiltration in the state, grant citizenship to refugees, and stop disrespect to our mothers and sisters as it happened in Sandeshkhali, then there is only one way — make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister,” he asserted, ANI reported.

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Attacking Banerjee for her stance on the NRC-CAA, Shah accused her of fostering infiltration while concurrently opposing refugee citizenship.

“I have come to ask Mamata Didi, what problem she has if the Hindu and Buddhist refugees from Bangladesh get citizenship in India. On one hand, you are encouraging infiltration and on the other hand, you are opposing citizenship for refugees,” he added.

Voting for the remaining constituencies of West Bengal is scheduled for April 26, May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, with vote counting set for June 4.

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While the TMC is aligned with the INDIA bloc, it lacks a seat-sharing arrangement with other alliance members like Congress and the Left parties in the state. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC emerged dominant with 34 seats, whereas the BJP secured only 2. The CPI (M) and Congress won 2 and 4 seats, respectively.

However, the political landscape underwent a significant shift in the 2019 polls. The BJP surged to win 18 seats, challenging the TMC’s supremacy, which saw its seat count reduced to 22. The Congress’s representation dwindled to 2 seats, while the Left Front failed to secure any.

This transformation in power dynamics has intensified political competition. The BJP, buoyed by its gains in 2019, is determined to dislodge the TMC and establish itself as West Bengal’s dominant political force.