BJP’s Bengal blitz rattles parties

Sutapa Mukerjee | Kolkata, The Pioneer, 30th April 2011

The Bharatiya Janata Party has launched a ‘blitzkrieg’ campaign in the State before the West Bengal Vidhan Sabha elections 2011. Even the All-India Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has noticed this; it became visible with its appeal to “refrain from voting for the BJP. The CPI(M) is encouraging them here, just to cut our votes.”

Reacting to this statement, a senior BJP leader simply smiles and says, “What the TMC leader does not realise is that this way she is creating an awareness of our presence here. It is indirect propaganda.”

West Bengal BJP chief Rahul Sinha has been long organising these meetings. Speaking to The Pioneer, he said, “I am extremely happy about the large gatherings in all the meetings and the fact that a lot of youngsters are present in meetings here. I am confident that we will get a good result to all the efforts that we have put in.”

Senior leaders of the BJP have been making rounds campaigning here since mid-April. Each day a leader is trying to cover at least three constituencies reaching the remotest areas. “The plan is to cover at least 294 constituencies,” says Rahul.

In the last few weeks there has not been a single party leader who has not shown up here including Lal Krishna Advani, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh and the party’s central observer and Rajya Sabha member Chandan Mitra.

It has been rather obvious that despite Mamata attacking the BJP, not a single leader retorted to any of her remarks. They instead elaborated on the “sorry state of affairs in the 35 years of Left rule in Bengal” besides severely criticising the Congress, TC’s ally in these Vidhan Sabha elections. Most of the senior leaders like LK Advani are appealing to the people here to elect an “honest and principled party” in these elections.

Chandan Mitra so far has covered around more than 30 meetings, including padyatras. He has been covering at least three to five meetings daily, either independently or jointly with a senior BJP leader. Hailing from Bengal, he has been at an advantage as compared to the other BJP leaders in relating with the crowd in their lingua franca. Using metaphors and witty remarks, he has been applauded and cheered by the many who gathered in the meetings. To correct the common misperception that the BJP is not for the Muslims, he said in a few of his meetings, “Our party encourages good natured Muslims and Hindus. Above all, we encourage any good and true Indian.”

Most of the BJP leaders have been exhibiting a certain amount of pragmatism while campaigning in West Bengal. For example, addressing a meeting, Rajnath Singh clearly stated, “We are not aspiring to rule Bengal, but we want to have at least a few representations in Assembly so that as opposition we can help the junta by checking the Government each time they fall short of their responsibilities.” Sushma too spoke on the same lines and added that it is equally important to have a dependable opposition who can work for the good of the masses.

At the same time, the leaders did not miss any chance to expound to the people how ‘hopeless’ the ruling party has been. Taking advantage of the fact that there are several people working in Gujarat in different industries, Narendra Modi pointed out while addressing a meeting in Madarihat Assembly constituency in Jalpaiguri district, “These people have come to Gujarat as they have no jobs here. It is not possible to find jobs when there are no industries.”

While refraining from criticising the TC leader in any way, senior party leaders did put forward a few questions. While Rajnath Singh appreciated the TC chief for being honest he also warned her, “Remember if you remain associated with a corrupt party, no matter what, soon you will also have a blemish.”

The fact remains that the BJP has all of a sudden come to Bengal to carpet bomb before an election perhaps for the first time. “This is not far from the truth,” admits a senior party leader. He reasons, “The BJP president has set a target of increasing the BJP vote share by 10 per cent. The party is therefore going to raise special emphasis on the States where it is still weak - Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal and also Assam where the BJP is in a relatively better position.”

The leaders also mentioned that they have been focussing on West Bengal since the beginning of this year. The BJP youth wing had flagged off the Ekta Yatra in Kolkata on January 12th. Post which the BJP had the ‘Naba Jagaran Yatra’ (March of New Awakening), which started from Cooch Behar in North Bengal, moved through 17 districts of the State, and culminated in a rally in Kolkata on February 15. Several senior party leaders participated in this Yatra. At the meeting in Kolkata, the stalwarts were all there including Rajnath Singh, LK Advani, Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley. They used the occasion to kick off the party’s campaign in the State Assembly elections.

Reacting to Mamata Banerjee’s remark that the BJP have suddenly come to Bengal from nowhere Chandan Mitra states, “It is strange if people forget the history of West Bengal. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who actually formed the BJP (erstwhile Jan Sangh), hails from West Bengal and has been an extremely popular freedom fighter admired by everyone across the country.” He also added that though the BJP had 12 per cent votes in 1991 the numbers slipped to half in 2009, “mainly due to its long alliance with the TC which, perhaps, weakened the party.”

During their campaigns, several senior party leaders have been rather irked with the State administration. Rajnath Singh pointed this out in his meetings and Sushma Swaraj also minced no words in criticising the police et al in the state. The day she was addressing a meeting in Burrabazaar locality in Kolkata when another meeting started off around the same time in the vicinity: “This overlapping of meetings here only speaks of the deteriorating state of law and order in Bengal. I have had similar experiences in Kerala, it is too obvious that the administration is not cooperating with us. Rahul Sinha had even gone on an indefinite fast last week alleging non-cooperation from the administration regarding the BJP election meetings. However, he ended his fast a day later after the Chief Election Officer assured the BJP that he would look into the matter and take proper action. 

Letter by BJP West Bengal President, Shri Rahul Sinha to the CEO, West Bengal

To
The C.E.O. West Bengal


Because of continuous non-co-operation from the part of the District Authorities mainly the D.M.s, Bharatiya Janata Party feels it to be a partisan and non-co-operational attitude towards them.
Right from the start of the campaign, the D.M.s are trying to harass us initially by delay-dallying and secondly even if they are permitting us to land our Helicopter, they are providing wrong co-ordinates for which in many of the cases, our leaders are either becomes unable to land or getting back to base and gathering correct co­ordinate, for which they are getting absent or late for the programmes.
Quite a no. of times, the CEO has to be disturbed to obtain permission of the meeting, while D.M.s are non-co-operative. Let us cite a few examples:

• a) On 18th April, I.C. Uluberia P.S., had given the permission at 2 P.M. where by Nitin   Gadkari's   landing  was   at   11.30AM   ultimately   he   had   to   abandon Helicopter and went by road to reach there at 6 P.M. hampering much of time and crowd.
• b) On 23rd April, ADM, North 24 Parganas, Mr. Randheer Kumar, permitted   Mr. Arun Jaitley at 1.30 P.M. whose meeting was scheduled at 11 A.M.
• c) Wrong Co-ordinate provision failed the chopper to land at Karimpur on 18th April where Mrs. Smriti Irani was scheduled to address. Because of your Nadia D.M., We were harassed before a mass of 10,000 people.

Hence we demand immediate action against marked Govt. Officials who are responsible for co-ordinate provision. Suspension of North 24 Parganas ADM for his indecent attitude. Immediate action in chopper permission cases.


(Rahul Sinha )
President, BJP, W.B.
6, Muralidhar Sen Lane, Kolkata -73

Letter by former BJP West Bengal President, Shri Tathagata Roy to CEC

Dated Kolkata April 23, 2011

The Chief Election Commissioner
Election Commission of India
Nirvachan Sadan, Ashok Road
New Delhi


Sub : Complaint of obstructive and partisan behaviour on the part of Election officials in West Bengal


Dear Sir
I, on behalf of BJP West Bengal, have to bring to your kind notice certain instances of obstructive and partisan behaviour on the part of election officials in West Bengal. Right now, as you may be aware, our all-India leaders are touring the state in connection with electioneering and travelling mostly by Helicopter. Now, taking a Helicopter to a given location requires an elaborate preparation. First, a permission has to be sought from the local police for holding the meeting. Also, a permission from the owner of the plot where the Helipad is to be made has to be got in writing (for private plots) and from the Land Reforms Officer (for government land). Then a permission is to be sought from the SDO, and finally from the District Magistrate. While securing the DM's permission the Latitude and Longitude of the Helipad are also got from the DM's office.
In view of all the preparation necessary, our party workers are applying well in time to the police station and to other officials. It now appears that these officials are deliberately delaying this permission and/or furnishing wrong coordinates. They are also otherwise adopting all kinds of obstructionist tactics and misbehaving with our party workers, including speaking disparagingly about our All-India leaders. As a result the meetings are being delayed, and people are going away, creating a bad impression in respect of the party. In two cases of meetings, one of Shri Nitin Gadkari, our National President, and one of Shri Arun Jaitley, Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha, have had to be cancelled. The resulting embarrassment, not to speak of expenses, can only be imagined.
In particular two officials, namely Shri Randhir Kumar, Additional District Magistrate, District North 24-Parganas and Shri Rezzak Mollah, Inspector-in-Charge, Uluberia P.S., District Howrah, have been found to be exceedingly intransigent and obstructive. Our State President Shri Rahul Sinha has personally  complained against them to Shri Sunil Gupta, Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal. Shri Gupta gave him a hearing, but said that he will take action only after an enquiry. A copy of the complaint made to the CEO is enclosed.
Now, we find this quite unsatisfactory, particularly in view of the fact that the complaint against Shri Rezzak Mollah was made on 18th April. IN PROTEST THE STATE PRESIDENT SHRI RAHUL SINHA HAS STARTED A FAST UNTO DEATH AT THE CEO'S OFFICE.
We request you to intervene in the matter immediately and to ensure that the guilty officers are brought to book. In case any enquiry is still considered necessary against them, we demand that they be sent on leave till the matter of action against them is settled. We also demand an assurance from the CEO that the BJP will be able to carry out its electioneering properly and the officials will not act in a partisan manner.


Yours sincerely,
Shri Tathagata Roy
Former BJP West Bengal President

EC issues letters to RBI, TMC for drafts worth Rs 1.33 crore

New Delhi, Apr 27, (PTI): The Election Commission has asked the RBI to inquire into the conduct of Allahabad Bank and United Bank of India which made drafts of Rs 1.33 crore for Trinamool Congress in poll-bound West Bengal, allegedly violating its guidelines on election expenditure.

The EC has also issued a letter to the political party asking it to explain the "circumstances under which the pay orders got issued by deposit of cash, in violation of RBI guidelines without routing it through the bank account and the Commission's instructions on the subject (election expenditure)." "It has been reported that your party (TMC) has got issued pay orders aggregating to Rs 1.23 crore by the United Bank of India on March 23, 2011 in favour of Ms Visual Audio and draft of Rs 10 lakh by Allahabad Bank on April 24, 20011 in favour of M Power Global Access India Private Limited by deposit of cash. "It may be mentioned here that the Commission in its all party meeting (at its headquarters in the national capital) and through various instructions has advised all the parties to avoid transactions in cash during election process," the EC said in its letter today to TMC President and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. The EC's action came after an Income Tax investigation report was received by it recently in the case. The EC has asked the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal to "immediately" serve the letters to TMC and both the banks and send the reports back to the Commission. The EC, while issuing separate letters to both the Banks-- Allahabad Bank branch at 2, N S road in Kolkata and United Bank of India at 1, Hemanta Basu Saran at Kolkata-- to "explain the circumstances under which such drafts were made." "The Reserve Bank of India guidelines of 2009 categorically prohibit any remittance of funds by way of demand draft or telegraphic transfer or any other mode for value of Rs 50000 and above against cash payment. "Besides, the EC is concerned about cash transactions during the election campaign as such transactions vitiates the election process," the EC wrote to both the banks. The EC activated an Election Expenditure Monitoring (EEM) cell in its establishment last year to keep a check on poll funding and use of illegal money power at the hustings. Source: deccanherald.com

Hema Malini exhorts people to vote for 'national party' BJP

Calling upon the electorate to go for a nationalist party like BJP, party's campaigner Hema Malini today said West Bengal's main opposition Trinamool Congress (TC) was confined within the boundaries of the state.

"While BJP, a national party, is ruling in nine states the Trinamool Congress has its influence mostly in West Bengal. Though the main opposition here, they are still the alliance partner of Congress, which is bigger outside," the actress said at an election meeting at Ramsagar under Onda constituency of Bankura.
"Therefore, shouldn't the people of Bengal go for the BJP which has its roots all over India and can fast-track the state's development which was not accorded priority by the CPI(M) during its rule instead of Trinamool Congress or the Marxists," Hema Malini asked the crowd.
Referring to the controversy about use of black money in poll campaign, BJP's state unit President Rahul Sinha said neither CPI(M) nor Trinamool Congress could absolve themselves of the slur.
Sinha lambasted both sides for playing dirty politics over murdered party activists to suit their narrow electoral gains.
Polling will take place on May 7 in Onda along with other Assembly segments of the district as part of the fifth and penultimate phase of elections.

Source: dnaindia.com Wednesday, Apr 27, 2011

Advani Questions Why Cong Took LF Support in UPA 1

Senior BJP leader L K Advani today agreed with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement that West Bengal was the worst governed state under the Left Front's 34-year-rule and asked why the Congress-led UPA(I) took its support to run the country.

"I totally agree with Chidambaram's statement that West Bengal is the worst governed state under the Left Front. Chidambaram should answer why UPA(I) took support of the Left Front at the Centre," Advani told an election rally here.

"It is our assessment that Left Front had crossed all limits of bad governance under patronage of the Congress during UPA(I). Congress is equally responsible. BJP cannot think of supporting Marxists or taking their support under any circumstances," he said.

Marxism, the BJP leader said, had been wiped out from Europe and not a single person of the erstwhile Soviet Union wept when the communist rule collapsed. "Similar would be the case when the Marxist rule comes to an end in West Bengal and Kerala," Advani said.

"The reason is simple. The Marxists could not deliver. For them the poor people suffered and were tortured. Only Marxist leaders and their associates prospered under their rule," he said.
Source: Outlook India APR 26, 2011

State BJP president breaks indefinite fast

Kolkata: West Bengal BJP chief Rahul Sinha broke his indefinite fast on Sunday, a day after he launched the stir outside the state chief electoral officer's office, alleging non-cooperation from the administration in allowing the party to hold election meetings. 
Sinha ended his fast after the chief election officer assured the BJP that he would take proper action in this regard, the party national spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after meeting CEO Sunil Gupta. 
“Some officers have certain biases against us and they are not giving permission for holding meetings in proper time. A programme of Nitin Gadkari and another of Arun Jaitley were cancelled,” Prasad said. 
“The Election Commission has assured us to take proper action,” Prasad said. 
Sinha had demanded immediate suspension of North 24-Parganas ADM Randhir Kumar and inspector-in-Charge of Uluberia police station for “non-cooperation”. 
The EC said it had sought a report from the district magistrates of Nadia, North 24-Paraganas and Howrah.PTI
Times of India

Why Mamata not resign from scam-hit UPA govt, asks BJP

Kolkata, Apr 24 (PTI) The BJP today criticised Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for not resigning from the UPA government which, it said, is embroiled in a number of scams. "Mamata Banerjee, who was an ally of the NDA had resigned from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government because of the then Defence Minister George Fernandes' alleged involvement in the coffingate scam. Later, when CBI investigations found the charges to be wrong, she still chose to resign," BJP National Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here. "Now when the UPA government is facing some of the worst scams, including 2G spectrum and Commonwealth scam, why didn't she (Banerjee) choose to resign ?" he asked. Accusing Banerjee of using disrespectful language against Advani, he said, "I respect Mamataji as a leader but she should have showed equal respect to our leaders." Banerjee had in one of her rallies said she respected Advani as an elderly person but she did not recognise him as a political leader. Prasad came down heavily on both the Left Front and the TC-Congress alliance for wooing minority voters in the name of reservation and maintaining silence on infiltration, which is a major issue in the state. "Religion-based reservation is not permissible by the court of law but these party into this kind of competitive politics". Quoting from 2011 census report to buttress his point, he said the overall population growth in West Bengal is 13.9 per cent whereas that in districts bordering Bangladesh it was as high as 23 per cent. "It is understood why there is a disparity but not a single political party is saying a word because that might upset their vote bank." Lashing out at CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat for his reported statement that there would be riots if the Left Front lost in West Bengal, Prasad said the Leftist party was trying to 'communalise' the ongoing election. "Left Front has never tried to develop the state because it wanted the poor to stay poor so that they could continue doing politics on that," the BJP spokesman alleged.

IBN Live

Bengal polls: Not allowed the use of choppers says BJP

Howrah:  Three senior BJP leaders had to abandon their plan of campaigning in West Bengal as the administration did not cooperate with the party on the use of choppers, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj alleged here today.
"The administration was not cooperating with the party on the use of helicopter. It led to cancellation of campaign meetings of three leaders. The Left Front government do not want campaigning by senior BJP leaders," Swaraj told an election rally at Raghudebbati in Howrah district.
She, however, did not elaborate on the name of the three leaders or the nature of the 'non-cooperation'.
The Left Front had won seven times in a row in the state but it did not advance seven steps so far as development was concerned, Swaraj, a senior BJP leader, said.
Criticising Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Swaraj said Banerjee would have to share responsibility of various policies of the UPA government which led to price rise and other hardships to the common people.
NDTV News

BJP criticizes CPI-M leader for using foul language against Mamata

New Delhi/ Puttaparthi, Apr 24: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday criticized Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Anil Basu for using foul language against Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at an election meeting at in Hooghly. 
"Anil Bose had used very wrong language for Mamata Banerjee. We condemn the language. It is condemnable. This is not the kind of language, which was used in the democratic politics of India. He needs to apologies to Mamataji," Prasad said.
Prasad further commented on the competition between leaders of CPI-M and Banerjee for providing reservation to minority groups, and said that religion based reservation is not permissible under Indian constitution.
"There is a competition between Mamataji and CPI-M over who gives more reservation to the minority groups. I saw that Mamataji had declared that 50 percent reservation shall be given. CPI-M is also taking in the same tunes. We want to inform Mamataji and CPI-M people that religion based reservation is not permissible under constitution," he said.
Prasad ridiculed the desperation of CPI-M leaders for winning the assembly polls by trying to communalize the ongoing elections.
"The CPI-M is showing the signs of desperation now. CPI-M is disappointed. They are envisaging their defeat. A couple of days ago I came across a statement made by Parkash Karat that if CPI-M looses in West Bengal there would be communal rites. He said like that. What does that mean? You deliberately want to communalise the elections," he added.
West Bengal's 294-member legislature will have assembly elections in six phases.
The first and second phase of voting took place on April 18 and 23 respectively.
The third phase will take place on April 27, fourth phase on May 03, fifth phase on May 07 and sixth phase on May 10.
The Left Front, led by CPI-M, has been in power in West Bengal for more than three decades.
Presently, it is facing a tough challenge from provincial main opposition Trinamool Congress and its ally Congress, who have stepped up pressure by raising simmering issues such as Maoist insurgency, corruption and unemployment.
Daily India

BJP’s Bengal chief Rahul Sinha on hunger strike outside poll panel office

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) West Bengal unit chief Rahul Sinha Saturday launched an indefinite hunger strike outside the state chief electoral officer’s (CEO) office, alleging non-cooperation by district election officials which was hindering the party’s election campaign.

‘Due to non-cooperation of the administrative officials in several districts, many of our campaign schedules including rallies of BJP president Nitin Gadkari and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, have been cancelled. Several meetings by our leaders before the first two phases of assembly polls were delayed because of the improper coordination,’ said Sinha.

He demanded immediate suspension of North 24 Parganas Additional District Magistrate Randhir Kumar and officer in-charge of Uluberia police station in Howrah for their ‘non-cooperation’.

‘We could not get permission to requisition helicopters or hold meetings in time. Unless the CEO assures us that necessary actions will be taken to resolve the problem, I will not call off my hunger strike,’ Sinha added.

INEWSONE

BJP is using the Assembly elections in Bengal as a platform for its future expansion: Arun Jaitley

BJP MP and leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley today said the party is using the Assembly elections in West Bengal as a platform for its future expansion in the state.

Stressing the BJP is keen to increase its vote-share and is trying to get some representation in the state Assembly, Jaitley refuted the statements of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee alleging the BJP was helping the Left gain lost ground in the state.

“I cannot be concerned whose votes we are eating into. We treat both of them as political opponents,” said Jaitley. He said the Left and the BJP are the two opposite forces of the Indian polity and will always remain so.

However, the BJP leader said Banerjee’s comments reveal the increasing strength and the expanding base of the BJP in the state. Jaitley who has addressed several rallies in the state, said the party expects a reasonable increase in its strength in the Assembly and intends to use the increased support base for the next Parliament elections.

Jaitley who refused to make any comment on the allegations of the Trinamool using black money, said Banerjee’s party was huge resources in the Assembly elections.

“ We are concerned with the new richness of the Trinamool Congress. The party ran probably the most expensive campaign in Assam (and it seemed ) as if they were going to form the government. The Trinamool Congress has definitely got a new set of resources or a new resourceful friends,” Jaitley said.

Jaitley also criticised the Trinamool for its alleged links with Maoists. “It is a very serious concern for politics in Bengal that at some places Maoists claim they will allow only one party to campaign,” Jaitley said. He said while other parties have maintained distance from Maoists, the Trinamool some times softens its stand for votes.

Indian Express

Don’t let Left sun rise in bengal, says Advani

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani on Thursday took a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee raising a question mark on their honesty and integrity. Speaking at a campaign rally in Kolkata for party candidate Mina Devi Purohit, Mr Advani said that Dr Singh had proved to be a weak economist and also failed to retain his honest image. “I had full respect for Dr Singh till he became the Prime Minister. But under his regime, the country has witnessed the worst scandals and reached the zenith of corruption. Despite being an economist, he has been unable to restrict the price rise which is anti-aam admi. Further he is known to be an honest person but the question arises why he has been trying to shield the other corrupt members of this government,” Mr Advani said. Lashing out at the Left Front government in Bengal, Mr Advani said: “The sunset of the Marxism has already taken place in various parts of the world apart from Cuba, Kerala, Kolkata and Tripura. However, the sun has started to go down in Bengal and you should not let it rise again.” Unlike Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee who was seen attacking the senior BJP leaders on Thursday, Mr Advani did not take her name during his campaign in the city. “Nothing can be said about others (read: Mamata Banerjee). However, it is important to bring a honest government here. Further whoever will be defeating the Left Front is welcome but should lay the foundation of a clean political system,” Mr Advani added. Meanwhile, speaking at another election rally at Bethuadahari town in Nadia, the senior BJP leader said, “Had the chief minister of West Bengal been an honest person then the state would not be in such a poor condition.” he pleaded the voters to give the Left a “permanent leave”.

Deccan Chronicle

Gujarat advances, West Bengal lags: Advani

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani on Thursday drew a comparison between West Bengal and Gujarat, saying while West Bengal failed to develop in the 34 years of Left Front rule, Gujarat in a short time forged ahead.

“Gujarat is now one of the most advanced states, while West Bengal under Marxist rule has lagged behind,” Mr. Advani said here in Nadia district where his party has put up a candidate for the assembly election.

The veteran leader said the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had brought significant development to the country and claimed it could have done more had it remained in power for a longer period.

Asking voters not to forget the role of the LF government in opposing computerisation in West Bengal back in 1986, he said the ‘tired’ ruling combine should be given ‘leave’.

Though he refrained from directly attacking the Trinamool Congress in his speech, preferring to fire his salvos at the Left Front, he, however, said that the local Trinamool MLA had done nothing in the last 10 years and therefore should be changed in favour of his party’s candidate.

The Hindu

Functioning of railways shows how Mamata will rule Bengal: BJP

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday hit out at Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee saying the functioning of the railways shows how she will rule West Bengal if she comes to power.

‘If Mamata Banerjee promises good governance for West Bengal, it is very important to see how the railways, the department under her is functioning,’ BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

‘Her silence on the Arunima (Sinha) incident is an example of bad governance,’ he said, referring to the volleyball player who lost a leg after falling from the train while resisting a robbery attempt.

The minister’s ‘silence’ on the fire accident in the Mumbai Rajdhani Express was also criticized by the spokesperson. Three coaches of the train caught fire early Monday morning but no one was injured.

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, in alliance with the Congress, is the main rival to the ruling Left alliance in West Bengal where the first phase of assembly elections was held Monday. Banerjee is also the chief ministerial candidate of the party.

She has been on the opposition’s target for paying more attention to state politics than railways.

Talking about the BJP’s prospects in the polls, Prasad said the party will emerge as a third alternative in the West Bengal.

‘The people of West Bengal are dissatisfied with 30 years of CPI-M and its alliance’s rule, we believe our performance will be good and we will emerge as a third alternative in the state,’ he said.

inewsone

BJP eyes an opening in North Bengal

L K Advani and Narendra Modi. Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh. Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj. Rajnath Singh, Vinay Katiyar and Hema Malini. BJP leaders of North Bengal cannot remember when such a line-up of central leaders went there to campaign for their candidates. All of them arrived over the past week.

Its confidence boosted by the Darjeeling victory in the parliamentary elections, the BJP is targeting at least 12 of North Bengal’s 54 Assembly seats, including Madarihat, Kumargram, Nagrakata and Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri, Toofangunj in Cooch Behar, Habibpur in Malda and Kalchini in Darjeeling.

Modi’s visit marked his first campaign ever in the state. He addressed rallies at Madarihat, Dhupguri and Toofangunj and at each place he compared Gujarat and West Bengal to show how far his state is ahead in development. At Dhupguri, he pointed at a hospital: “Is it a hospital? It itself is dead. How can it provide treatment to those who are living? This is what you have got after 34 years of Left rule.”

One seat the BJP is confident of snagging is Madarihat. In the last parliamentary polls its candidate for Jalpaiguri, Manoj Tigga, led the winner, the CPM’s Mahendra Nath Roy. Tigga is the BJP candidate for Madarihat this time and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has promised him support. Of the 2 lakh voters, 20,000 are Nepalese, most of them loyal to the Gorkha cause.

Segment-wise, the BJP bagged large vote shares also in Dhupguri (25,000) and Kumargram (21,000) and in Kalchini (46,000).

“After the votes we got in the parliamentary elections and last civic elections, couples with our organisational strength in North Bengal, we hope to do well,” says Rabindra Narayan Choudhury, Jalpaiguri district BJP president.

The CPM dismisses the number of star campaigners. “Anybody can address rallies anywhere. It’s the people who will have the last word,” says Rabin Deb, CPM state secretariat member.

The BJP has been striving to increase its presence in Bengal. Its Nava Jagran Yatra, 2,000 km from Cooch Behar to Kolkata on January 30 to February 15, culminated with an address by four CMs, Advani, Nitin Gadkatri and Jaitley. The Rashtriya Ekta Yatra to Lal Chowk, Srinagar, began from Kolkata, flagged off by Gadkari.

Indian Express

West Bengal polls a freedom movement from 35 years of oppression: Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today called the West Bengal assembly polls a "movement for freedom" by people who want to be free from the shackles of a 35-year-long vicious cycle of "oppression", a day after accusing Left Front Government of not doing any development work in the state. 

"I was surprised after what I saw in West Bengal. It was a whole new form of election there," Modi said while addressing a seminar organised by the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI) here. 

"It was not just some election, but a movement for freedom by the people who want to be free from the shackles of 35-year-long vicious cycle of oppression," said Modi, who yesterday participated in an election campaign in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. 

The chief minister said that in West Bengal people purchase agricultural produce like potatoes from farmers for daily use only. 

"I explained to farmers there about what happens in case of their counterparts in Gujarat, who also cultivate potatoes. A farmer in Banaskantha (Gujarat) cultivates potatoes which are sold in markets of Canada where it gets transformed into chips and is sold across the world. This is where government figures in," Modi said. 

He told the GCCI that in Jalpaiguri potatoes are sold only if people come and buy them otherwise they rot. 

During his election campaign in West Bengal , Modi yesterday alleged that the Left Front government had not done any development work or set up any industry in West Bengal in its 34 year-rule. 

"So many people from West Bengal are working in different industries in Gujarat. They have come to Gujarat because there are no jobs for them in West Bengal as there is no industry," Modi had said. 

The north Bengal districts of Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling have so many tea gardens. But the Left Front government has failed to set up any industry in the area, the senior BJP leader said. 

Many villages in West Bengal don't have electricity or metalled roads unlike most of the villages in Gujarat, the Gujarat Chief Minister claimed.
Economic Times

Q&A: Ravi Shankar Prasad, General Secretary, BJP

'Mamata's politics is increasingly a mirror image of the CPI(M)'

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s general secretary and chief spokesman, Ravi Shankar Prasad, tells Gyan Varma there is space for his party in West Bengal. Edited excerpts:

The BJP slipped from a five per cent vote in 2001 to just 1.9 per cent in 2006 in West Bengal. What makes you hopeful the party will gain this time?
We were close to 11 per cent in 1991. Given that BJP is a major player and the performance of BJP and NDA-ruled governments in nine states, the people of West Bengal are looking towards BJP as an option. I don’t dispute we are a minor player in the state for now but we are set to make a powerful presence.

Your record in Bengal clearly shows your success depended on Mamata Banerjee. With her leaving you alone, how do you plan for the future? 
Mamata Banerjee broke ties with us in 2001. Had she been part of the alliance, who knows, she could have been chief minister of West Bengal in the 2001 assembly election itself! The larger issue here is the intellectual and cultural history of West Bengal that gives space to do good work and allows us to take forward the legacy of Swami Vivekanand, Aurobindo Ghosh, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, besides other cultural influences. There is a big space in West Bengal beyond the Left parties and Mamata Banerjee.

The elections are taking place after the issue of corruption has taken centrestage in national politics. Will the issue have a major impact?
Yes, corruption is an important issue and it will have a big impact in the West Bengal elections. The people are fed up of the misrule and suppression of democracy by the CPI(M) and its cadre. The politics of Mamata Banerjee is increasingly becoming a mirror image of CPI(M) politics and many of these elements have shifted loyalties in the course of the election.

The record of CPI(M) is dismal in terms of development, growth and industrialisation and it has almost corroded the soul of West Bengal. But the record of Mamata Banerjee also doesn’t inspire. There 58 railway projects announced for West Bengal but not even one has taken off. The health of the railways is too well known. We are highlighting these issues and we hope people will help create space for us.

Mamata recently accused the BJP of entering into a nexus with CPI(M) to split votes of the Congress-Trinamool alliance.
She’s in the UPA, so in national politics, she has worked with the Left. That BJP is in nexus with Left parties is baseless. We are campaigning for the third pole of Bengal politics. We are sure that people will respond to us.

Among the five places where elections are being held, the BJP is not a major political force except in Assam. What are your expectations?
I agree but there is a hope that BJP will make an important presence in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal. In Assam, we are sure there will be a non-Congress government. In all these elections, the palpable anger against the Congress and its allies and the Left Front in West Bengal is very clear, because of lack of development and corruption.

Business Standard

BJP ruled states developed, says Rajnath Singh

Siliguri: Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Friday claimed that the states under BJP rule had witnessed all round development and could be easily identified as developed states.

It was only BJP which could bring a total change in West Bengal and put an end to the 'misrule' of Left Front, Singh said at an election rally here in Darjeeling district while campaigning for party candidate for Siliguri, Arun Prasad Sarkar.

He also criticised the UPA government at the Centre for its alleged involvement in a series of corruption and said if BJP came to power at the Centre it would probe all the corruptions within a year.

Stating that BJP was opposed to the 10 per cent reservation for educationally, socially and economically backward Muslims in government jobs in West Bengal, Singh said the party was against any reservation based on religion.

IBN Live

Vote for BJP if you want a good government: Advani

Senior BJP leader L K Advani said if the people of West Bengal want a good government then they should vote for BJP candidates in the coming state Assembly election. "The Bharatiya Janata Party is the only party which can promise a good government in the state if elected to power," the former Deputy Prime Minister said while addressing a public meeting here in support of the party candidate.

"The Left Front government has not done anything in the state during its 34-years rule. The condition of roads, health services, education, drinking water and everything in the state is in bad shape in the state," Advani alleged.

"The UPA government in the Centre has become synonymous with scams-starting with the 2G, CWG, Adarsh and other scams. The prices of essential commodities has risen a lot during the rule of the UPA government but the government has failed to take any steps to bring down the prices," the veteran BJP leader said.

It is only the BJP which can give good governance as even Anna Hazare has praised the rural works done by the BJP government led by Narendra Modi in Gujarat and the NDA government led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar, he claimed.

Advani addressed the election meeting of BJP candidate for Falakata in Jalpaiguri district which will go to the polls on April 18 during the first phase of the six-phase West Bengal Assembly election.

Hindustan Times

WB polls: No support for CPI (ML) in Naxalbari

India may be worried with the growing base of Naxalites across the country. But, in Naxalbari, the birth place of the ultra-radical communist militancy, the spirit of the revolution is dead.

Sitting on the muddy floor of the dilapidated office of the CPI (ML) at Hatighisa village in Naxalbari, three party leaders were seen huddled together on a lazy Saturday afternoon to chalk-out the campaign schedule for the assembly elections.

Members of the CPI(ML) stand by a campaign
vehicle at Naxalbari in West Bengal.

The revolutionaries looked totally demoralised as they did not know how to compete with the high-voltage campaign of the Congress and the BJP in Naxalbari. The toughest contest in the upcoming election here is likely to be between the Congress and the BJP candidates.

The revolutionary communist party has fielded only two candidates in the area, which was once the bastion of the Naxalites, where revolutionaries like Charu Mazumdar, Kanu Sanyal and Jangal Santhal initiated a violent uprising in 1967.

Charu Mazumdar had given ideological shape to the peasant movement, while Kanu Sanyal founded the CPI (ML), and the members were popularly known as Naxalites. The movement, which professed Mao Zedong's ideology, also had the patronage from Beijing.

But, after 44 years of the ultra-radical communist uprising, the spirit of radical communism is totally dead in Naxalbari. The two contestants - Dipu Haldar at Naxalbari and Ram Ganesh Baraik at Kharibari definitely do not have the money and muscle power to compete with the Congress and the BJP.

"For us, contesting election is not about winning, it is just to keep our ideology alive in Naxalbari," Halder said, adding that it was unfortunate that the CPI (ML) does not have supporters anymore in the birth place of Naxalism.

There has hardly been any development in the villages around Naxalbari. The poor villagers still struggle for survival.

The ruling CPM, in the meanwhile, has sought help from the Election Commission against the Maoists in East Midnapore's Nandigram.

In a written complaint to the Election Commission, senior CPM leader and party's central committee member Binoy Konar said: "In the name of shooting (film) activities, suspected Maoists are being harboured in East Midnapore's Nandigram, like it happened in 2007."

The party appealed to the poll panel to take immediate action against the "Trinamool Congress-backed hoodlums".

"We intimated the Election Commission several times but no action has been taken to stop deliberate attacks on the commoners and Left Front (LF) supporters in the district," the statement, issued by the CPM state headquarters on Saturday evening, said.

The CPM also claimed that Sk. Sufian and Sk. Khusnabi, who have several criminal cases pending against them, were openly campaigning with the Trinamool Congress MP Subhendu Adhikari in Nandigram assembly constituency.

"We are astonished to see Sk. Sufian and Sk. Khusnabi campaigning for the Trinamool in Nandigram. The duo went underground some days ago but surfaced just before the elections," it said.

The CPM leadership also alleged that the "Maoists are threatening innocent villagers".

Rubbishing the CPM's allegations, Subhendu's father and Union minister of state for rural development Sisir Adhikari said: "The CPM had falsely fabricated cases against the duo during the Nandigram land battle. They are not hardcore criminals. They have been implicated because of political reasons."

Asked about the "Maoist intrusion" in Nandigram, the veteran Trinamool leader said:

"The Maoists cannot enter East Midnapore. We will never allow them for the sake of peace and law and order situation in the district."

Call for boycott

The Maoists on Monday called for a boycott of assembly elections in all poll-bound states terming the exercise a "farce".

A statement issued by Abhay, Maoist Central Committee spokesman, in Kolkata said while the people are facing corruption, price rise, poverty, hunger, unemployment, loot of resources, displacement and destruction of ecology, parliamentary parties are engaged in a contest to capture power by hook or crook.

"They (political parties) are indiscriminately using money power, muscle power, identities like caste and religion and are vying with each other for votes.

Millions of rupees have been poured down the drain just to buy votes," the statement said.
India Today

BJP conducts rally ahead of West Bengal polls

Kolkata, Apr 10(ANI): Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday organized a rally in Kolkata, as part of campaigning for the upcoming state elections.
Meena Devi Purohit, who is contesting from Jorasanko Assembly constituency in the state, said that the party is focusing mainly on the problem of price rise that had hit the state very badly.
"People are fed up with the problem of price hike. It is a very major problem. The price that went up in our West Bengal as well as in the whole country, the corruption that is increasing, Bharatiya Janata Party is approaching the common man with these aspects," she said.
She further said there are many other problems as well which the state government didn't paid heed to during their stint.
Meanwhile, BJP's state leader, Sunita Jhawar, said that the party is expecting success as the people's approach towards the party is changing.
"This year, our prospect is very good than earlier. People have his perception that BJP is nothing in Bengal. But as time passed, the party is becoming stronger," Jhawar said.
Even the locals supported the party and said that they are anticipating better governance in the state.
"We are expecting that they (BJP) would reach to the common man so that the people here can live peacefully," said Binod Behari Dubey, local.
The 294-member assembly constituency of West Bengal will have a six-phase election beginning from April 18.
The Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPM)-led Left Front has been in power in the state for more than three decades.
Daily India

BJP goes all out, heavyweights to campaign

For this Assembly election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to conduct one of the costliest campaigns in West Bengal, with all national-level leaders of the party moving around the state in three helicopters for the next one month starting April 10.

“We are taking this election very seriously and the BJP will emerge as a big power after the elections in Bengal. All the national leaders, including L K Advani, Arun Jaitley, Narendra Modi and Hema Malini will campaign extensively. We will use three helicopters for the purpose,” said Rahul Sinha, state president of the BJP.

Campaigning will start from April 10, and all North Bengal constituencies, starting from Siliguri, will be covered by April 17 and 16 meetings at the constituencies between Malda and Siliguri from April 10 to 13.

National leaders including L K Advani, Arun Jaitley, Chandan Mitra, Rajnath Singh, Smriti Malhotra Irani and Sushma Swaraj will campaign extensively. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will cover three phases of the elections and Hema Malini five phases in the six-phase polls starting April 18.

Sinha urged the people of Bengal to vote for BJP as according to him, the Trinamool and the CPM are two sides of the same coin. “All the goons, mafias and extortionists of the CPM have changed sides and joined the Trinamool. The culture of holding processions with dead bodies was non-existent in West Bengal. But it is now a common practice, thanks to the Trinamool.”

He said that whatever image the two parties might try to project, in reality both Trinamool and CPM are anti-industrialisation and it is only because of their ego-clash that the Tatas had to move out of Bengal.

Alleging that both the parties are adept at stoking communal fire, Sinha said: “While Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee declared that she will arrange for reservation for minorities if her party comes to power, the CPM actually arranged for a 10 per cent reservation for Muslims. The Bill has not yet been passed by the governor, but Goutam Deb is claiming on television that they have already implemented the Bill. A politics of lies is going on in Bengal.”

He added that however much Banerjee might emphasise development in her campaigns, no real development is possible under her as she runs a “private company, where she is the only boss, and the rest are employees. For bringing development in any state, a party should have a clearly defined ideology and policy, which is not there in a one-man party like the Trinamool, Sinha said.

Indian Express