BJP's Bengal manifesto promises to drive out 'infiltrators', reduce power tariff

The BJP promised in its manifesto for the West Bengal assembly polls, released Saturday, to drive out "infiltrators" from Bangladesh and Pakistan from the state and reduce power tariff by 40 percent.

It also promised to bring the state government employees on par with their central government counterparts in terms of dearness allowances if the party was voted to power.

Former state Bharatiya Janata Party president Rahul Sinha said nearly 2.5 crore infiltrators were calling the shots in around 125 of the 294 assembly constituencies.

He said the "infiltrators" were from Bangladesh or Pakistan and "all of them were from the minority community".

"If people bring us to power, our government will identify the infiltrators and push them back to their countries," he said.

However, Sinha made a distinction with refugees from other countries who have been forced to shift base to Bengal to escape religious persecution and assured the BJP government would endeavour to secure citizenship for these in consultation with the central government.

Describing the electricity tariff in the state as the "highest" in the country, he said it would be reduced by 40 percent.

Lashing out against the incumbent Trinamool Congress government, he said it had committed a "fraud" on the state government employees, who now get 50 percent DA less than the central government staff. He said a BJP government would bring the state employees on an equal footing with the centre in payment of dearness allowance within two years.