Opposition rally HIGHLIGHTS: BJP's 'achhe din' over, says Mamata Banerjee

Tejashwi Yadav accused Modi of being a factory, manufacturer and distributor or lies

4:18 PM

Mamata rally a 'failed front': BJP

 

Asserting that it will form the next government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP called the United India Rally of the opposition in Kolkata as a "failed front" with full of "selfishness" and "contradictions" and raised questions as to who is their prime ministerial candidate.

 

"The rally in Kolkata is a failed front. This front is made in a condition of hopelessness. The stage is full of selfishness. There has been personal hatred on this stage. This is the stage of contradiction and conflict," Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

4:17 PM

Former TMC leader termed the opposition rally as 'circus'. 

3:57 PM

The rally ends with the slogan "Badal do, badal do, Dilli mein sarkar badal do".

3:56 PM

Tyaag ka naam hai Hindu, Imaan ka naam hai Musalman, Pyaar ka naam hai Isaai, Sikhon ka naam hain balidaan. Yeh humara pyara Hindustan, says Mamata.

3:46 PM

"I want to ask BJP, do they respect their own leaders? Have you given any respect to Shatrughna Sinha..to Yashwant Sinha...what about Rajnath, Gadkari and Sushma? PM speaks of collective leadership just because elections are around. After Modi he is elected, he will abandon all these leaders," says Mamata Banerjee.

3:44 PM

'Modi government has passed its expiry date': Mamata Banerjee

 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: "Modi government has passed its expiry date. There are 22-23 parties here. Bengal has always shown the way. Taking a cue from Kejriwal's speech, in 70 years what Pakistan failed to achieve, Modi government has done it in four years. From demonetisation to GST, they have looted the country. He claims that he is only saint, let the government fall, you will realise. Their party offices are like shopping mall. Politics has a courtesy, there is a Lakshman rekha. You have spared none why should we spare you?

 

They are changing everything - history, geography, constitution. There are no jobs and they are promising reservation. This brigade has seen historical rallies. Today's call from the brigade has come out of a historical necessity. Everybody should come together. Collective leadership is required.

 

They ask who will lead us, there are so many leaders here. We will not think of who will be Prime Minister. We will decide that after the election. Similar rallies will be organised by Chandrababu Naidu, Arvind Kejriwal. If Farooq ji does a similar rally in Kashmir, if Tejwashi does it in Bihar, we will go. If people vote to BJP again, they will lose their deposits in banks."

3:43 PM

"BJP has two seats in West Bengal. They will lose that very soon. Just wait and see how our allies will do in the upcoming elections. I urge Hardik and Jinesh to keep moving ahead. There will be no achche din for BJP. I am not concerned about who becomes the PM, I just want BJP to go," says Mamata Banerjee during United India rally.

3:42 PM

3:34 PM

"This meeting has been forced by historical necessity. You ask who's the leader of the Opposition. There are so many people on the stage. Can't you see? We have many leaders unlike your party," says Mamata Banerjee.

3:34 PM

"There is a lakshman rekha in politics that you should not cross. PM targeted everyone. Then why should we not target him? He claims he is clean but look at all the scams his govt is involved in. Things change, even weather changes, then why shouldn't the government change," says Mamata Banerjee.

 

3:33 PM

"Modi's expiry date is over just like your pills. We are now here to build a new India," says Mamata Banerjee during United India rally.

3:29 PM

"Modi is factory of lies and a distributor of lies. We need to work together to fight Modi. I heard he is coming to Bengal to mislead people. Don't believe him. I would like appeal all Biharis in Bengal to beware of BJP. Take revenge from Modi," Tejashwi says.

3:28 PM

Lalu Yadav's son and RLD leader Tejashwi Yadav is addressing the gathering in Kolkata, blames Modi and Amit Shah for his late arrival. "With this huge gathering, Modi will have sleepless nights from now onwards. ED, CBI are all coalition partners of BJP. They hatched a conspiracy and sent my father to jail with the help of CBI," he says.

3:25 PM

Mamata Banerjee speaks at the rally...

3:14 PM

"HAL was not given the contract to build aircraft. Please come clean with facts on Rafael otherwise u have to listen: Chowkidar Chor Hai, Chowkidar Chor Hai, Chowkidar Chor Hai," says Shatrughan.

3:11 PM

3:05 PM

"Demonetisation was announced in haste. They announced without considering the people and other senior party leaders. Even the finance minister was not kept in the loop before announcing demonetisation. Women, who had accumulated some wealth for their families' benefit, were left in lurch when note ban happened. They lost crores due to it," says Shatrughan, adding that even before people could get over demonetisation, GST happened.

3:05 PM

Shatrugan Sinha says: "Mood of the nation is Parivartan. Parivartan. Parivartan. People want a new leadership".

3:02 PM

"Even before being a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, I am leader of Bharat. So whatever I say or do, is for the people and for their benefit. I am answerable to them. Hence, I try to show BJP a mirror so that they understand that it's a democracy and they cannot do such injustice. Yashwant Sinha tells me that BJP will now throw me out of the party. But I am not scared but I am a people's man," Shatrughan says.

2:59 PM

BJP rebel leader and veteran leader Shatrughan Sinha says, "I haven't seen such a huge crowd in the recent past. It's the magic of our leader, Mamata Banerjee."

2:58 PM

"With 282 seats in the last election, instead of building a strong nation, he wants to destroy secular system of nations. All leaders committed to secular values, the main task before us is how to move forward," says HD Deve Gowda at the Kolkata rally.

 

2:57 PM

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress at Opposition rally in Kolkata: I appeal that we all unite to save the Constitution & the democracy. They (BJP) are helping their corporate friends. They promised to provide 2 crore jobs every year, where are the jobs?

2:49 PM

2:49 PM

2:48 PM

Meanwhile, Narendra Modi hit out at Opposition leaders in Silvassa, and said just one BJP has given sleepless nights to all regional leaders. 

2:47 PM

. Opposition rally LIVE: Modi says we've given sleepless nights to parties

2:45 PM

2:41 PM

"The country at large is under immense strain... politically our institutions are being undermined... the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will not be ordinary ones. This will be elections to restore faith in democracy... and to defeat the forces trying to sabotage Constitution of India. This rally marks an important attempt to galvanise leaders," says Sonia Gandhi in a message delivered by Mallikarjun Kharge. 

 

2:40 PM

"Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, especially Sonia Gandhi has sent a message for this rally," says senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. 

 

2:39 PM

Sharad Pawar of NCP: "We are hopeful with the gathering that has assembled here. For five years the BJP has been ruling the country. The people feel that they have been cheated. Institutions are being targeted. Industries are closing down, people are losing jobs. We have a responsibility of removing them from power. Many, particularly those from BJP say that all of us on stage will not remain united. I want to assure that we are not here to become Prime Minister. I have been Chief Minister for four terms, been Minister at Centre, I don't want anything but to see interest of people are protected."