West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday flayed the opposition for spreading slander about her government despite the state’s economic progress, saying they were jealous of her development initiatives.

Launching the Parama Island Flyover, the state’s longest, her first official function after her Bhutan tour, the Trinamool Congress chief also initiated projects for the New Town, on the north eastern fringes of Kolkata.

“Despite all the development, the opposition is indulging in politics of slander and spreading negativity…. They are jealous of the progress we have ushered in. I tell them to stay quiet,” she said.

Her comments come at a time when re-polling is underway in two civic bodies in the state with the opposition – the Left Front, Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party – boycotting the balloting.

The Park Circus-EM Bypass flyover stretches 4.3 km, from the Park Circus seven-point crossing all the way to The Spring Club. It is expected to ease traffic to and from the airport.

Banerjee also used the opportunity to attack the central government for non-cooperation in infrastructure development projects.

“Despite non-cooperation from the centre, I am proud to say we took it upon ourselves to complete the project. The centre reneged on its promise of constructing this flyover. But we took it forward,” she said.

Banerjee added: “Infrastructure is our asset. Our (West Bengal’s) GDP growth is higher than the national average.”

Left Front leaders are creating trouble in West Bengal to stall progress of the state, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday.

After inaugurating 4.3 kilometer long Park Circus to EM Bypass flyover, she said that Left Front leaders in 34 years had ruined the state. “CPI-M led government had not taken up any developmental work in those years. They had pushed the state into a debt trap. And now when the people have rejected them and sent them to opposition benches they are now trying to instigate violence in the state and stalling developmental work,” she said.

Miss Banerjee also said that leaders of the Left Front always try to display their faces in television channels and causing unrest in the entire West Bengal. “These leaders (Left Front) don’t have any work to do apart from showing their faces in television channels. They are only interested in petty politics and halt the development work. They should stay quiet as they have been rejected by the people of West Bengal,” Miss Banerjee said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today also described her visit to Bhutan as “historic” and said it would boost the relationship between the two neighbouring nations. “Even I asked the King of Bhutan whether they are facing such kind of petty politics like West Bengal,” she said.

She also praised Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay for attending the Biswa Bangla Sammelan on January 8 and 9. “They are so good, even the Prime Minister, had in fact, come to see me off in Thimphu,” she said.

West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the Park Circus-EM Bypass flyover today at 12 Noon in Kolkata. The Government of West Bengal had promised to complete the flyover before Durga Puja, and has delivered on its promise. As the Chief Minister said at the inauguration ceremony, “We had set a target for ourselves to complete this project and we have completed before that target.”

The Parama Island Flyover happens to be Kolkata’s longest flyover, stretching to 4.3 km, from the Park Circus seven-point crossing all the way to The Spring Club on EM Bypass. There is already an existing flyover stretching from near the Police Training Institute to the Park Circus crossing. Soon, these two are going to be connected too, to make travelling from Alipore to the EM Bypass and vice versa a breeze.

Accusing the Centre of non-cooperation, the Chief Minister said at the inauguration ceremony, “Despite non-cooperation from the Centre, I am proud to say we took it upon ourselves to complete the project.” Expanding on the lack of help from the Centre, she said, “The Centre walked back on its promise of constructing this flyover. But we took it forward.”

The triumphant note in the Chief Minister’s speech was evident when she said, “Soon West Bengal will shine all over India for its infrastructure… Despite all the development, the Opposition is indulging in slander politics. I tell them to stay quiet and witness the development.”

Commenting on the development of West Bengal under Trinamool Congress, the Chief Minister added, “Infrastructure is our asset. Our GDP growth is higher than the national average.”

She assured everyone of further glory for our beloved Bengal: “We will together build Bengal in all its glory. Have faith in us and we will soar to greater heights.” She coined a new slogan for development too: “NASA theke bhasha, Bangla-i amader asha.”

The West Bengal Chief Minister also announced the construction of one more flyover – connecting Taratala with Prince Anwar Shah Road. Last but not the least, the Chief Minister didn’t forget to thank the labourers who worked hard day and night for many months to complete Kolkata’s longest flyover: “We thank all the labourers who built this infrastructural marvel, and the people of Kolkata for their patience.”

Commenting on her successful official tour of Bhutan, the Chief Minister said, “We were spellbound by the hospitality extended to us by the King of Bhutan and his Prime Minister.”

The West Bengal Chief Minister extended her warmest wishes to ghazal legend Ustad Ghulam Ali and heartily invited him to do a concert in the cultural capital of India, Kolkata: “I extend our warmest invitation to music legend Ustad Ghulam Ali. There are no boundaries in music.”

The West Bengal Chief Minister today also inaugurated through remote control a number of projects for New Town.

Among the projects are – a Herbal Garden, a tea garden and tea lounge in Eco Park, the Biswa Bangla Wi-Fi at New Town, Mongal Deep – a welcoming sculpture on Biswa Bangla Sarani, New Town, the Smriti Bon in Action Area I, Swapno Bhor- a senior’s park, a 500 KW canal-top solar project adjacent to Biswa Bangla Haat, the 3^rd bridge over Bagjola canal in Action Area III, a 4 cusec-capacity drainage pumping station at New Town and the statues of Sk Mujibur Rahman, ex-PM of Bangladesh and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, ex-President of India in the Mother’s Wax Museum, New Town.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Biswa Bangla showroom at Bagdogra Airport from the same venue.