Mamata synonymous with 'intolerance': BJP

Kolkata: BJP president J P Nadda Wednesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of being synonymous with "intolerance", and exuded confidence about forming the next government in the state with more than 200 seats. Buoyed by the BJP's good show in panchayat samiti and zila parishad elections in Rajasthan despite the continued farmers' protest at Delhi's borders, he asserted farmers of the state have given a decision in favour of the Narendra Modi government and its policies.

Nadda, who arrived here on a two-day West Bengal visit, criticised the "dynastic politics" of the ruling TMC and other parties in the country, and asserted for the BJP "party is family". "Today, I want to recollect what Syama Prasad Mookherjee had said about discipline and tolerance...it is very pertinent in the present situation in Bengal. For West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee intolerance is another name," he said after inaugurating nine party offices across various districts of the state. "Everyone knows the way Rabindranathji (Tagore) gave a vision to the country, but today intolerance is increasing in Bengal," he deplored. Nadda accused the Trinamool Congress government of "minority appeasement".

He asserted the saffron party will come to power in the 2021 polls with more than 200 seats ousting the TMC "lock stock and barrel". "When the entire country was watching the 'Bhoomi Pujan' (of Ram temple in Ayodhya), Mamata Banerjee imposed a lockdown in West Bengal on August 5 to prevent people from being part of the occasion at the local level. "In sharp contrast, the lockdown was withdrawn for Bakr-Eid, on July 31. We don't have any problem with that, but why was the puja stopped on August 5. This shows that the state government's policies are driven by appeasement politics," he said. The BJP leader said he feels "sad as well as embarrassed" whenever he visits the state, which was once known for its distinct culture, but now was infamous for "violence, corruption and nepotism".

Nadda said the BJP's victories in the panchayati raj elections in Rajasthan and Bihar assembly polls have proved that rural India is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the policies of his government. Urging party workers and leaders to fan out across the state with the message of development, Nadda said, "The time has come to unmask the corrupt TMC and pack them off in the next assembly polls." He said the BJP had a 2 per cent vote share in the 2011 assembly polls in West Bengal which went up to 18 per cent votes and two Lok Sabha seats in 2014. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the party bagged 40 per cent votes and 18 seats, he said.