Hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she will contest the upcoming election from Nandigram, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari accepted her challenge and said he will quit politics if the party does not defeat her by 50,000 votes.
Addressing a public meeting in south Kolkata, Adhikari, who joined BJP last month, said Mamata Banerjee goes to Nandigram once in five years just ahead of elections.
"What has she done for Nandigram? She has hired an agent from Bihar to win the election in Bengal. Regardless of who contests against her, she will lose by 50,000 votes. If I fail to defeat her I will leave politics," he said.
"TMC is not a party but a private limited company run by Mamata Banerjee and her corrupt nephew. TMC has robbed people. They looted the Amphan cyclone money, they looted rice, they looted COVID-19 vaccine," he alleged.
Ahead of rally, BJP held a mega roadshow from Tollygunge tram depot to Rashbehari Avenue in south Kolkata, which is considered a stronghold of Mamata Banerjee.
Stones were pelted at BJP workers who were part of the rally attended by Union Minister Debasree Chaudhuri, state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh apart from Adhikari.
Criticizing TMC for the alleged violence, Adhikari said, "Attackers from 'Mini-Pakistan' and supporters of the administrator of Kolkata Municipal Corporation attacked our workers. But they cannot stop us like this. We will make Sonar Bangla," he said.
Speaking at the rally, Debashree Chowdhury alleged the policies of TMC government had forced people to migrate.
"She (Mamata) told BJP cannot mark its presence in south Kolkata. Today we are here and she fled to Nandigram. Mamata destroyed agriculture, industry and education. It is due to her that people have migrated to other states to work as daily wagers," she said.
"Mamata Banerjee is the 'messiah' of injustice. She believes in vote bank politics and has been indulging in appeasing certain sections of the society. You will be defeated from wherever you contest," she added.
Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh took a jibe on TMC saying its "boat has started sinking after the visit of our two leaders (Amit Shah and JP Nadda)".
"I wonder what will happen if Prime Minister Modiji comes. Today's roadshow is just a trailer," he said.
Ghosh said people of Bengal have not seen good governance as BJP has never been in power in the state.
"We will build Sonar Bangla. Mamata Banerjee is not confident of winning in Bhowpore so she is testing the soil in Nandigram. Let me tell you, no safe seat is left in Bengal for TMC," he said.
Mamata Banerjee announced earlier in the day that she would contest from Nandigram Assembly seat in the assembly election that is due in a few months.
BJP is seeking to come to power in the state and has been extensively campaigning over the past few months .
( With inputs from ANI )
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