West Bengal Assembly polls: BJP releases manifesto, seeks to drive out infiltrators

Kolkata: BJP state unit on Friday released its manifesto for the West Bengal Assembly polls highlighting that the party would seek to drive out all infiltrators from the state if voted to power.

Former state president of BJP Rahul Sinha claimed there were nearly 2.5 crore infiltrators in West Bengal.

"If BJP comes to power, we will indentify them and take action by sending them back to their countries", Sinha, who is contesting from Jorasanko seat, said while releasing the poll manifesto.

He said the party was, however, not against refugees who have come here to take shelter and would take the initiative for granting them citizenship status by consulting with the Centre.

"The infiltrators are either from Bangladesh or Pakistan who have sneaked into the state for some particular reasons and all were from the minority community", Sinha claimed.

He alleged that these infiltrators were "exerting influence" on almost 125 assembly constituencies in the state. "Infiltration has assumed alarming proportions in West Bengal", he said.

Regarding deareness allownace (DA) issue, he attacked the ruling Trinamool Congress for "cheating" the state government employees by paying "50 per cent less" DA than the amount offered by the Centre.

"The party is for bringing parity between the central and state DAs within a period of two years if voted to power", he said.

The party manifesto also said that electricity tariff in West Bengal was the highest in the country and that it vouched for a 40 per cent reduction.

It also contained issues related to finance, agriculture, industry and education, culture, health, corruption and criticised the ruling party on all such counts.

BJP has fielded candidates for almost all the 294 Assembly seats going to polls which kick off next week.