lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Apr 27, 2020 08:56 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday termed Mamata Banerjee a “speed breaker” in the way of West Bengal’s development. Mamata hit back within a few hours calling the PM “expiry babu” and pointing out that the tenure of the present government has come to an end.

“If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returns to power in 2019, Lok Sabha polls will not be held anymore because they will change the Indian Constitution,” the Trinamool Congress chief declared at her first election rally of the season on Wednesday, even as Modi addressed two back-to-back public meetings in north Bengal and Kolkata.

Unleashing a scathing attack on her principal adversary, Banerjee called Modi “fascist,” “communal,” a “rioter” and “anti-poor,” shortly after the pRime minister addressed his first rally in Siliguri and flew down to Kolkata to address the second.

She referred to Modi as “expiry babu” several times, in a bid to drive home the point that the tenure of the present government has come to an end.

Also read: In Bengal, PM Modi calls Mamata Banerjee ‘speed breaker Didi’, urges people to remove her

Banerjee, who was speaking in Dinhata in north Bengal, began her address when PM Modi was halfway through his speech in Kolkata.

Echoing an allegation often aired by Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal, Banerjee claimed that the Constitution will be fundamentally changed by the BJP if it wins and there will be no more Lok Sabha elections.

Most of her 40-minute speech focused on PM Modi, whom she accused of misleading people and using the armed forces for political gains.

“You claim to be chowkidar (security guard) of the country. In that case, why did you fail to protect the soldiers who died in Pulwama, despite having intelligence inputs on the terror attack? What right do you have to call our armed forces the ‘Modi sena?’” Banerjee said.

The Bengal CM made sarcastic remarks about the Prime Minister’s clothes, a television channel named after him and the money spent on the election campaign by the BJP. Accusing the party of splurging to woo voters, Banerjee said, “If they offer you something, take it. But do not vote for them.”

Also read:‘Who is Modi to ask?’ Mamata says opposition will decide on PM after polls