As the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections kicked off in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lashed out against INDIA bloc allies Congress and CPI (M), saying they are "BJP agents" in the country. Elections were held in three constituencies--Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri on Friday.
"Some say, we are INDIA, vote for us. India is not here, it belongs to Delhi. Congress and CPI (M) are not INDIA here. They are BJP. One vote for them means two votes for BJP. Don’t even cast a vote [for them],” Banerjee was quoted by The Indian Express.
"We will lead the Opposition alliance INDIA in the coming days. But in Bengal, CPI(M) and Congress are agents of the BJP. So I will not support them here,” she said while speaking at a rally in Murshidabad.
The TMC is also part of the INDIA bloc, however, Mamata chose to fight the elections alone in West Bengal without any alliance.
Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim are contesting from Berhampore and Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituencies respectively.
Also, Banerjee urged migrant workers present in their home state of West Bengal for Eid celebrations to vote in the ongoing elections before returning to work.
She said that the BJP-led government would take away their Aadhar card and citizenship if they returned to power at the Centre, reported ANI.
“I would like to request all the migrant workers who have come here to celebrate Eid please don't go back without voting because if you don't vote in the coming days, they will take away your Aadhar card and your citizenship,” ANI quoted Banerjee as saying.
While speaking at the rally, she opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and expressed concerns over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)
Meanwhile, the voter turnout in West Bengal was 66.34 per cent till 3 pm. The polling was marred by sporadic violence on the Cooch Behar seat. TMC and BJP workers clashed with each other and lodged 80 and 39 complaints respectively related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assault on poll agents.
Around 50 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories.
The Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.
