West Bengal Elections: PM Modi ups the ante, says TMC stands for terror, 'maut' and corruption

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of "adjusting" with graft and claiming her party TMC stood for "terror, maut (death) and corruption". He also attacked the Congress for having "fallen at the Left's feet" in the state for political expediency.

"The Narada sting operation against Trinamool Congress leaders was shown on TV. It was such a big scandal, but did Didi take any step against them, or expel them from the party? Didi has adjusted with corruption," Modi told an election rally in Asansol. Launching a frontal attack on Mamata Banerjee and her party, Modi said, "TMC stands for terror, maut (death) and Corruption."

He said the West Bengal Chief Minister boycotted meetings called by the Centre to discuss the issue of states' development and failed to bring about any transformation despite her call for 'paribortan' (change). "What kind of a Chief Minister is she? Whenever the Centre has called a meeting to discuss development of states, Didi has boycotted it, even if it hurt her state," Modi said.

"She (Banerjee) did not attend those meetings only because Modi convened it. But whenever she visited Delhi, she met (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi and took her blessings," the Prime Minister told an election rally at Birpara in north Bengal. Modi said, "She gave the call for Paribortan and misled the people. She talked about Ma-Mati-Manush, but there is only Maut (death) and money."

People wearing Modi mask in the rally- PTI

At the Asansol rally, Modi tore into the Congress-Left alliance in Bengal, saying Congress was fighting the communists in Kerala but was "falling at their feet" in Bengal. "If there is ideological difference between them, it should be there both in Kerala and Bengal," he said, wondering whether they could be trusted.

"Please go through the videos of Congress leaders five years back when they had criticized the Left. The first-ever Left government in Kerala was dismissed by the Congress government. Now see the magic, Congress is moving behind communists by holding their hands," he said.

He said the Left and the Congress were trying to "fool" the people by fighting against each other in Kerala while at the same time forging an alliance in Bengal.

"The people will give them a befitting reply. There was a time when the Congress had over 400 members in the Lok Sabha. But now see the people's anger, the Congress' strength has come down to 40 seats," he said.