Mamata Banerjee holds rally in Siliguri against LPG price hike - Key points

While addressing a public gathering in Siliguri on Sunday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee threw a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, saying she is ready to play (khela hobe) one to one.

The TMC chief said: "Khela hobe! We are ready to play. I am ready to play one-on-one. If they (BJP) want to buy votes, take the money and cast your vote for TMC."

The Trinamool Congress supremo came to Siliguri yesterday evening to join a "padyatra" from Mainak more to Venus more to protest against the price hike of different items including cooking gas cylinder. Many of the TMC supporters were seen holding red-coloured cardboard replicas of LPG cylinders at the 'yatra', which was led by the TMC supremo, and joined by her ministerial colleague Chandrima Bhattacharya, and party MPs Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan.

Mamata Banerjee's speech - Key points

1. Addressing the gathering, Mamata Banerjee said, "Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to lose elections in five states votes including West-Bengal. During the time of COVID-19, he never came here to see the situation. Besides this, the state government wanted to buy Coronavirus vaccines, but here also he posted his photo to do politics."

2. Hitting out at BJP's 'poriborton yatra', Mamata remarked that change will only happen in Delhi, not in West Bengal, as women are safe in Bengal as compared to other BJP-controlled states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and more.

"Modi always asks questions about women's security in Bengal, but never asks about Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other BJP ruled states. Gang rape and other related incidents are happening every day in those states. Women are safe in her state of West-Bengal whether in the daytime or at night," she claimed.

3. The TMC chief also said that the BJP government has tried to sell off profitable undertakings such as banks, railways and LIC. "That is why he (Modi) is becoming like a child," she said.

4. Lashing out at 1BJP, Banerjee said that India knows about one syndicate that is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's syndicate.

"India knows about one syndicate that is Modi and Amit Shah's syndicate. They have already sold most of the historical places, railways, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and banks," she said.

5. She again said that without informing them, they gave the final word to Bangladesh about the Teesta river water. Bengal has a special relation with Bangladesh. "We never said 'Debo na'," she said.

6. "The people of Bengal want to know when they will get free gas. Do not try to burn the kitchens of sisters and mothers, They will burn you instead," she said.

West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes in the state will take place on May 2.

(With agency inputs)