Kolkata, Aug 22 Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kolkata to inaugurate multiple Metro railway projects, the Trinamool Congress on Friday morning took a dig at him by saying such projects were commissioned by Mamata Banerjee when she was the Railway Minister.
Trinamool Congress state General Secretary and party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said BJP leaders come to Bengal to inaugurate projects to garner votes ahead of elections.
Using his social media handle, Ghosh shared photographs of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her tenure as Railway Minister (2009-2011) where she is seen laying the foundation stones of Metro railway projects which are seeing the light of day now.
"Some moments of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. She has given new routes, lines, trains, stations, projects, employment to Bengal with open hands. The things that the Prime Minister will inaugurate today were also Mamata Banerjee's brainchild and received her approvals and financial allocation.
"After so much delay, now the Prime Minister is coming to promote himself ahead of elections. The people of Bengal know that the real work is done by Mamata Banerjee," said Ghosh.
On Friday evening, the PM will inaugurate and lay the foundation of projects worth Rs 5,200 crore, including three new stretches of the Kolkata Metro, and an elevated corridor in adjacent Howrah.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, PM Modi will visit the Jessore Road Metro Station, where he will flag off the Noapara - Jai Hind Bimanbandar Metro service from Jessore Road.
In addition, through video conferencing, he will also flag off the Sealdah-Esplanade Metro service and the Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro service. He will also undertake a Metro train ride from Jessore Road Metro Station to Jai Hind Bimanbandar and back.
At the public function, the Prime Minister will inaugurate these Metro sections and a newly-constructed subway at Howrah Metro Station.
CM Banerjee was extended an invitation by the Centre to attend Friday's inauguration ceremony, however, she refused to accept the invitation and decided to stay away from the government programmes.
Earlier, an insider from the state secretariat said that in all probability, CM Banerjee will not be attending the inauguration event because of a past experience.
“Earlier, Chief Minister Banerjee was seen next to Prime Minister Modi at a government function at Nazrul Manch. But the behaviour of the BJP workers and supporters present there was not satisfactory towards the Chief Minister,” said the state secretariat insider.
He also said that during the program, at Nazrul Manch, the Chief Minister also expressed her anger on the stage.
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