West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit out at the NPP-BJP government in Meghalaya, and took a jibe at her Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma asking why a “de facto prime minister from Guwahati run the North Eastern region?”
The TMC supremo, who was on a one-day visit to Meghalaya on Wednesday, the day when Election Commission announced the poll schedule for three states – Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura, further said that the people must “remove the proxy BJP government” which has not yet “done anything for the people”.
“I know North Eastern region very well… But you tell me, why should there be a de facto prime minister from Guwahati and he will run all the North Eastern region?” Banerjee said, hitting out at Sarma.
“Empower the people, uphold the culture and celebrate the sacred land of Meghalaya and remove the proxy BJP
The TMC is seeking to wrest control in the state, as it is the main Opposition party in the state, after 12 Congress
Banerjee, while addressing the crowd in the North Garo Hills, also accused the Centre of not giving West Bengal any funds.
“The central government doesn’t give us (West Bengal) money, they give money to their own state but where is this money? Why after so many years, electricity has not reached?.. BJP has enough money because they have collected all the money. Sometimes they use the agencies also. They will try to create some panic also. Don’t divide yourself. Be united and take a stand,” she said.
Meanwhile, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee claimed that he believes the NPP and the BJP will draw a blank in the Garo Hills, from where Chief Minister Conrad Sangma contests from the South Tura constituency.
“The death knell of the NPP and the corrupt MDA [Meghalaya Democratic Alliance] is going to be sounded from this very moment… Two months ago I had come here and said that when people go to cast their votes, the BJP and the NPP will draw a blank from Garo Hills. Mark my words, I say this on the record looking at the love, the appreciation and enthusiasm,” Abhishek, the nephew of the CM, said.
Meghalaya goes to polls along with Nagaland on February 27. The results of three north-eastern states – Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura – will be declared on March 2.