'Unko aana bhi nahi chahiye': Manoj Tiwari's dig at Mamata on swearing-in u-turn

BJP lawmaker Manoj Tiwari on Thursday quipped at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's for her decision to not attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in.

"Unko aana bhi nahi chahiye (she shouldn't even be coming)," said the actor-turned-politician on being asked about the TMC chief's decision to skip the ceremony.

Tiwari backed his statement with a theory, asserting that Banerjee wouldn't be able to face the attendees given the "violence" and "bloodshed" in her state.

"She shouldn't even be coming. Mamata Banerjee has disgraced democracy. The way she perpetrated violence in a democracy... and after killing 54 BJP workers, with what face will she attend the celebration? She won't be able to see eye-to-eye with those present. She is ashamed and cannot face the people," the newly-elected MP from North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat said.

Going back on her initial decision, Banerjee yesterday declined to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony objecting to the families of BJP workers, allegedly killed in political violence in the state, being invited to the function.

The Lok Sabha battle in West Bengal was marred by violence, with both the BJP and the TMC trading blame over the issue.

The BJP has made deep inroads into the Trinamool territory by winning 18 Lok Sabha seats and cutting the TMC to size by limiting its win in only 22 seats against 34 it bagged in 2014.

In the Lok Sabha polls, BJP secured a clear majority with 303 seats, while Congress was at a distant 52.