Narendra Modi government past its expiry date, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee at Kolkata rally

IANS photo

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday in a clarion call to the nation reiterated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is past its 'expiry date' and asserted of a new government after the Lok Sabha elections. 

Addressing a grand rally organised at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, CM Banerjee accused BJP of not following the courtesy in politics and further added that those who are not with the BJP are called thieves. 

Speaking at the mega opposition rally, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief called upon people and raised the slogan to change the government at the Centre. In her speech, she promised that the Opposition parties will work unitedly heralding in the descent of a new dawn. She further added that the question of who would become the prime minister can be decided after the elections.

She said, "Modi government is past its expiry date and in the coming days, a new dawn will descend. We (opp parties) will work together and it's a promise. Who will be the prime minister can be decided after the Lok Sabha elections. 'Badal do, badal do, Delhi ka sarkar badal do' (change the government at the Centre)," said the TMC supremo.

The chief minister accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ignoring senior BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari and said that if it wins the polls, he will ignore them again. 

Accusing BJP of inciting riots everywhere, she added, "Danga laga do, fasaad laga do, ek hi unka (BJP) issue hai, Hum Bengal main 'Rath Yatra' ke naam pe danga-fasaad nahi karne denge (The BJP has only one issue of creating violence. We'll not let them resort to violence in the name of rath yatra)."

Leaders of all the opposition parties except the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the CPI(M)-led Left Front took part in the rally, which the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has said will sound the "death knell" for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

More than 20 national leaders, including former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, his son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Sharad Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, Sharad Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Hemant Soren and former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, reached Kolkata on Friday to take part in the rally.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also in attendance.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi too extended his support to the rally. The leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented the Congress at the rally.

Large-scale preparations were made to ensure that the rally turns out to be a massive success. Besides the huge stages, 20 watchtowers were erected and 1,000 microphones and 30 LED screens put up.

As many as 10,000 security personnel was deployed in and around the venue of the rally and around 400 police pickets have been set up to ensure foolproof security, the police said.

Lakhs of TMC supporters and workers arrived in the city from all over the state. Vehicular movement around the venue was restricted.