Author: AITC

Trinamool Chairperson Ms. Mamata Banerjee today slammed the BJP as a “communal party” and urged the people to ensure that votes were not split. She also blamed the Congress for not doing anything to stop the release of Ganga water from Farakka barrage to Bangladesh. Taking on the CPI(M)-BJP-Congress, she urged people not to vote for these parties and shower their blessings on Trinamool for continued development of the State.

“I am against BJP. Don`t give a single vote to BJP. They are communal,” the Trinamool Congress supremo told a party workers` meet at Lalbag in Murshidabad district.

“Whenever elections come they rake up the issue of Hindutva, but don`t get swayed by their designs,” she said.

She also said that the CPI(M) was “destructive” and Congress “corrupt”.

“I was in (BJP-led) NDA for a little over a year, but our party was a fledgling then, and keeping faith in Atal Bihari Vajpayee that he won`t do anything against minorities, I went with them,” she said, explaining her earlier association with the BJP-led front.

She claimed that BJP also wanted to divide Bengal and would try the same in several parts of the state from Darjeeling hills to other districts.

“Can Congress or CPI(M) defeat BJP? Only the Trinamool Congress can,” she asserted.

Ms. Banerjee also decried comparison of Gujarat with Bengal and said that those doing so should be ashamed.

“Gujarat and Bengal are not the same. Riots take place in Gujarat, not in Bengal. We are proud to say that,” the Chairperson said referring to the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

Taking on the Congress, Ms. Banerjee alleged that the UPA government at the Centre was mired in scams and “skeletons kept tumbling out of their cupboard”.

Claiming that the Congress had stabbed her party in the back despite an electoral alliance between the two, Didi said, “Congress had sabotaged us during the 2011 Assembly elections by fielding independent candidates against us where we had a candidate.

“Congress had played the role of Mir Zafar (a traitor),” she alleged.

Trinamool Chairperson today came down heavily on the Congress for betraying the coalition dharma in the districts of Malda and Murshidabad in the 2011 Assembly elections. She said that while Trinamool supported Congress candidates, the Congress put up Independents against Trinamool. She said Congress will have to answer people in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. She also slammed the BJP for communal politics and CPI(M) for destroying the economy of West Bengal. The Chairperson added that despite all roadblocks, Bengal was experiencing a high tide of development.

Transcript of the speech of the Chairperson`s speech:

 I welcome you all. We are holding these worker`s meetings late because of the ongoing Higher Secondary exams.  We do not wish to disturb the students who are our future.

 I have come to Malda a number of times. This time the fight is a lot different. Trinamool Congress is fighting alone because we have the common people with us. We want a coalition of people beside us. This is a tough fight. On one side, there is the fight for development of Bengal. On the other hand there is the fight against communalism. Congress cannot fight this war, nor can CPI(M).

During the 2011 Assembly polls, we had a coalition. We helped Congress candidates. But in return, the Congress had put up independent candidates so that Trinamool candidates lose the elections in this district. Those who had betrayed us at that time will have to pay for their sins now. The Congress MPs from this district campaigned for the independent candidates. I kept quiet at that time for the sake of the coalition. But I was ashamed and pained. The same thing happened in Murshidabad and Uttar Dinajpur.

Our fight is against CPI(M), BJP and Congress. When we were in the UPA, we protested against all the issues that went against our manifesto – from FDI to rising prices of LPG, fertilizers and essential commodities. When UPA`s policies went against the people, we quit the alliance. We do not betray the people.

We will not let anyone divide Bengal. There is no difference between the plains and the Hills. Leaders sitting in Delhi must remember that. Congress-BJP formed an unholy nexus to divide Andhra against the wish of the State. Who are they to decide the fate of a State? The state must decide what to do.

I celebrate festivals of all religions throughout the year. For us it is a matter of faith, not a seasonal activity before polls. Some parties appease religious communities just before elections.  Congress does not have the right to seek minority votes. We have worked for the development of minorities according to the recommendations made by the Sachar Committee.

Some people are jealous because Bengal is progressing. The Centre takes away Rs 40000 crores as taxes but gives back only a part of it as central funds. The Centre has taken away Rs 74000 crores as repayment of the debt incurred by the Left. How will the State run? No other Govt could have run the State even after such a huge sum of money is taken away by the Centre. But we are doing it confidently with the blessings of the people.  We do not need Central grants, just do not take our taxes. We will survive on our own revenues; we could have created employment opportunities for 20 lakh people with that money.

CPI(M) distributed only 10000 pattas in two years. We distributed 2 lakh pattas in two and a half years. There is a high tide of development in Bengal in all sectors. After Independence only 38 colleges were set up in Bengal. We have set up 31 Govt colleges in just two and a half years. 14 colleges have been set up in the PPP model. The first Women`s University at Diamond Harbour will begin functioning from 2014-15 academic year. We have set up 6 Govt Universities and 4 private Universities in the State in two and a half years. 3.2 crore people in Bengal get rice at Rs 2/kilo every month. We had set a target of creating 50000 ponds in 5 years. We have already created over one lakh ponds in two and a half years.

I never lie to people. I do not make promises that I cannot keep.  Trinamool will emerge as the third largest party after Lok Sabha polls. We will play a decisive role in the next Govt formation. Trinamool will show the way for India`s progress and development. BJP means communalism. CPI(M) means destruction. Congress is anti-people and corrupt. Give us a chance to serve you in the Lok Sabha polls, we will bring in a tide of development in Malda.

Our candidates in Malda are Dr. Moazzem Hossain and Soumitra Roy. Barkat Ghani Khan worked a lot for people. Some people are benefiting from his legacy. I appeal to you to bless us with your votes. If we win, we will work for you all the year round. I will again come to Malda once the HS examination ends. You have to ensure Trinamool wins a decisive mandate in Malda.

 Malda ebar Trinamool, Murshidabad eo joraphool.

Jai Hind. Thank you all.

Trinamool Chairperson continued addressing party workers` conventions across the State after kicking off her poll campaign at Pailan on March 18. Trinamool Chairperson Ms. Mamata Banerjee addressed party workers at Itahar in North Dinajpur earlier today where she called for change at Centre. She also slammed the communal politics of the BJP and said appeasement and religious politics should be shunned. The Chairperson also raised the slogan “Bengal steers the way for India. Bengal will lead the future of India“.

Transcript of the Chairperson`s speech:

My dear brothers and sisters, I welcome you all.

Let me introduce to you our two candidates Satyaranjan Das Munshi from Raiganj and Arpita Ghosh from Balurghat. Please ensure that we win these two seats.

I am holding these workers` conventions in the evening because the Higher Secondary exams are going on. I try not to disturb anybody, even those who are returning home after exams. So the meetings are held so late.

Whenever we call for a workers` meeting, it becomes a mass gathering. There are no restrictions in our meetings, unlike other political parties. This is because we feel that common people are our assets and our strength. Tomorrow I will be in Murshidabad and then I will go to Nadia and North 24 Parganas day after tomorrow.

Be it Hindus, Muslims, General category or backward classes, we work for all, not just during elections. Our party is a milieu of all religions, sects and creeds. This is not the first time I am coming to this district. We are the only government to hold 54 administrative meetings across Bengal at block level. We have held such meetings at least thrice in each district. The State cannot be run from offices in Kolkata.

I know that the condition of the National Highways is bad. We have been repeatedly telling the Central Government to repair them, but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Change the Government at the Centre if you want better roads.  I celebrate Durga Puja, Eid, Christmas and Guru Parab with the same fervour. There are parties which seek vote on the basis of religion. We don`t appease any religious communities during the time of elections.

CPI(M) has destroyed Bengal in the 34 years of its misrule. We are paying for the debts incurred by them. The Centre is taking away all the money. They are jealous. They keep agitating for setting up AIIMS in Raiganj. Why was it not done in the past? Who stopped them? We are against forcible land acquisition; let the Central Govt acquire land and build AIIMS. We kept our promise; we are setting up a medical college and a multi super speciality hospital in Raiganj.

We are taking steps to set up an airport in Balurghat. We have already launched chopper services. We have renovated the local spinning mill and rehabilitated the workers. We have started a Biswa Bangla store that will showcase Bengal`s handicrafts and local delicacies.  We have revived the jute industry and protested when Centre reduced the jute usage by almost half. We now have a jute policy and a textile policy.

We are fighting against the CPI(M)-Congress-BJP. They are all together like a syndicate. The prices of cooking gas, fertilisers, petrol, diesel are rising. People are suffering because of UPA policies. Today BJP is criticising the Congress. What were they doing as Opposition party when prices of essential commodities were rising? BJP supported the UPA on the Telangana issue. The Congress and the BJP had a secret pact in Parliament during the passage of Telangana Bill. We will not allow any such plans in Bengal. We cannot allow the division of our State for petty politics.

We bow our head only to people. We do not need coalitions. The support of the people multiplies our strength many times over. As soon as elections approach, Congress sings paeans for Muslims and BJP appeases the Hindus. We have excelled by giving 2 laakh pattas, by starting Kanyashree, by giving rice at Rs 2 per month to 3.2 crore people.

The Centre has even stopped funds for the 100 days work scheme and Sarva Siksha Abhiyan. The Centre takes away Rs 40,000 crore as taxes and gives back only Rs 10-15,000 crore for various projects. We do not need their grants; if they stop taking away our taxes, we will manage on our own.

We have started 80 fast-track courts, 19 human rights courts and 26 all women police stations. North Bengal had been neglected for a long time. We have given a separate Secretariat to the people of North Bengal. I want people to be happy. We had annopunced projects for North Bengal when we were in the Rail Ministry and when we left the Ministry, the projects were stalled.

Yes, we were part of the NDA for one year. But when their policies were anti-people, we quit the alliance. We left UPA after the prices of essential items were increased. We maintain transparency. What we say before elections, we follow it post polls; no other party does this. The BJP helps the Left in winning elections in Balurghat by fuelling communal tensions.

Trinamool fights a battle for the people, with the people and of the people. We will play an important role in the formation of the next Central Govt. We do not have money power. We want electoral reforms. There must be state-funded elections in India. We will fight for this.

We have to fight against the destructive politics of CPI(M), communal politics of BJP and corrupt policies of Congress. Shower your blessings on the Trinamool candidates in Raiganj and Balurghat. Bengal steers the way for India. Bengal will lead the future of India. After HS examination ends on 28th March, begin your election campaign in full swing.

Cast your votes early in the day. You alone must have your say. Cast your votes in favour of ghasphool. Cast your vote for Trinamool. Vote for communal harmony. Vote for development. Vote for pro-people policies.

Thank you all.

Trinamool Chairperson Ms. Mamata Banerjee held a campaign rally in Pailan (Bishnupur), South 24 Parganas earlier today. The rally was held after the Higher Secondary Examination for the scheduled paper of the day ended. The meeting was conducted in a closed enclosure, following the norms of model code of conduct enforced by the Election Commission.

Present at the meeting were Trinamool candidate from Jadavpur Dr Sugata Bose, the candidate for Mathurapur Constituency Chowdhury Mohan Jatua, the candidate for Diamond Harbour Abhishek Banerjee and the candidate for Joynagar Pratima Naskar. Party workers and district leaders of the party were also present at the meeting.

Transcript of the Chairperson`s speech:

I welcome all workers and all the leaders present here today. Today we have with us the candidate from Mathurapur and a loyal party worker CM Jatua. Present here today is Pratima Naskar, our candidate from Joynagar. She has recently resigned from her post as a West Bengal Civil Service Officer. Present here today is our candidate from Jadavpur Dr Sugata Bose. He used to be in Kolkata for at least 200 days a year before becoming a candidate. Now he will be spending 365 days for serving you.

The election will held over two and half months. There is a code of conduct for these elections. We need to follow this strictly. In the past the election process used to get over within 45 days.  However despite the improved infrastructure, now the election process takes longer to get over. Elections are being held in phases. I am not criticizing anybody but in some districts, elections are being held in 2-3 phases while there are states where the election process will be completed in a single day. Our time for implementing projects is thus being reduced. Due to the code of conduct, development has been stalled.

We move in a fast pace. We do not want to waste time. It took 34 years to bring about a regime change in Bengal. The previous government did not follow fiscal discipline and took loan after loans. We started the system of fiscal responsibility and budget management. Rs 74,000 Crore has been taken away by the Central Government as repayments for those loans. We are paying for the sins of the previous government. In 2011 at Dumdum, the Prime Minister had promised to help Bengal with debt restructuring. Nothing was done. We had repeatedly gone to Delhi with request of a moratorium but the Central Government did not help us.

This year, we are fighting in all the 42 seats in Bengal apart from other states like Tripura, Jharkhand, Arunachal, Manipur, Assam, UP and even Kerala. CPI(M)-Congress-BJP will fight together. Do not be worried. Just carry out your responsibilities.

I will be leaving for Dinajpur and Malda tomorrow. Then I will be visiting Murshidabad and Nadia to hold workers` meetings. At the end of this month, I will again visit North Bengal. After the Higher Secondary exams end, we will start public campaigns and I will let you know the details.

It is not important that you are aware of the basic facts about our candidates. We have 27% women candidates.  We are the only political party to do so. There are 11 women candidates. There are 7 minority candidates and 12 SC/ST candidates.