West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a sharp swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday — accusing the senior BJP leader of manipulating the Election Commission. She also warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to repose too much faith in his top lieutenant and predicted that Shah “may one day become his Mir Zafar”. The remarks came even as the BJP levelled several jibes at the TMC government over recent attacks against its leaders in the state.

“We can request the Prime Minister not to trust Amit Shah always. One day, he will turn out to be your biggest Mir Zafar. Be alert while you have the time because morning shows the day,” she said.

The 18th-century military general of Bengal had famously betrayed Nawab Siraj ud Daulah in the Battle of Plassey. He later became the monarch with the help of the British.

‘Amit Shah behaving like acting PM of India’

“Their leader holds a meeting and comes here to say that he will delete several lakh names from the voters’ list of Bengal. Tell me, we are currently reeling under natural calamities, heavy rains, celebrating festivals and so on. Can the SIR exercise be completed within a fortnight and can fresh names be uploaded in that period under the current circumstances?” she asked.

Banerjee questioned whether the ECI should act at the behest of the BJP party, or should it act in the interest of democratic rights and civil rights of the people? “All this is a game played by Amit Shah. He is behaving like he is the acting Prime Minister of this country. But the PM is aware of everything, I am sorry to say,” the TMC chief alleged.

TMC ruling Bengal with ‘Talibani mindset’: BJP

“It is not the Trinamool Congress but the government of Talibani mindset and culture at the helm in West Bengal…Neither maa, maati or manush nor elected MPs or MLAs are safe in West Bengal. Only mafias, ‘bombaaz’ and ‘jihadi’ elements, who are running ‘vote bank ki dukan’, are safe in West Bengal under the TMC rule. The West Bengal government is in denial and diversion mode. Mamata Banerjee is giving a clean chit to her TMC workers… Mamata Banerjee is in celebration mode and cover(ing) up,” said BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.