BJP national president Amit Shah has rebutted Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee’s charge that he is an “outsider” in West Bengal andsaid he has come to the state to campaign for his party.
Shah wondered if he is called an outsider for coming to WestBengal, “which is very much a part of India”, then why not ChiefMinister Mamata Banerjee be labelled as an “outsider” when she visitsNew Delhi?
The BJP leader was addressing a meet of intellectuals in thecity on Tuesday.
“I am president of a national party and I am here tocampaign for my party.
“I am beingcalled an outsider for coming to West Bengal. What kind of statement is this?If a person from West Bengal goes to Mumbai or Bengaluru, will he be called anoutsider? When Mamata didi goes to Delhi will she be called an outsider?”Shah asked.
Shah’s remarks came following Banerjee’s repeatedallegations about Shah being an “outsider” who comes to the state to”create division” among the people.
“If the BJP wins the assembly polls in West Bengal, aBengali will be the chief minister. Neither I nor Kailash Vijayvargia will bethe CM,” Shah said.
Vijayvargiya, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, is the BJP’snational general secretary, who is in charge of the saffron party in WestBengal.
Shah also criticized a section of the media for blaming BJPworkers for Tuesday’s violence during his roadshow in north Kolkata.
“A section of media is presenting it in such a way asif we started the clash. The news should be that TMC goons attacked the convoy.But a section of news organisations are trying to paint it in a differentway,” Shah said.
BJP and TMC supporters Tuesday fought pitched battles on thestreets of Kolkata during a massive roadshow by Shah, who escaped unhurt butwas forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety bypolice.