Focus on Bengal not since we may lose seats elsewhere: Shah

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday said his party has put "special focus" on Bengal to reinstate democracy, give refugees their deserved rights and drive out all the infiltrators, and this was not because it may lose some seats in other states compared to the previous General Election.

Referring to the first two phases of polling in Bengal, Shah claimed that there is a clear wave in favour of BJP and urged the people of the state to cast their votes without fear.

"BJP has focused on Bengal because the people here want a change. It is not that BJP will get lesser number of seats in Uttar Pradesh or elsewhere in 2019 as compared to the last time.

"We want to reinstate democracy in Bengal, give the Bangladshi refugees their deserved rights and smoke out every single infiltrator from here. That's why BJP has put special emphasis on Bengal," Shah told the reporters here.

"(Chief Minister) Mamata (Banerjee) didi can clearly see her defeat in the first two phases of election in Bengal. She has tried to create a sense of fear among people though her activities and campaigns. But I want to assure the people of Bengal that the polls are being conducted under the supervision of Election Commission, so no one needs to worry," he said.

The saffron party chief said the people living in Bengal villages should go out together to cast their votes together on the polling day in order to resist any attack by the "Trinamool Congress goons".

"When a village would go out to vote together, handful of goons will not be able to harm them in anyway," he said.

Attacking Banerjee, Shah said the Trinamool chief is making "baseless allegations" against the Election Commission as she is not able to rig the votes this time due to the adequate measures taken up by the poll body to conduct free and fair elections.

"Mamata is complaining about the election process here because the EC has taken up necessary measures to conduct free and fair polls. The EC is conducting elections across the country and we are contesting everywhere. So we have different opponents in different states. But none of the states have raised complaints about EC's work apart from Mamata.

"This means the EC is stopping her from rigging the votes. That's why she is coming up with baseless allegations," claimed Shah.

"If the EC is doing something wrong, then complaints would have come from other states too," he added.

He said when majority of people decides about making a change. No one can stop that from happening.

Shah also flayed the Trinamool supremo for recently claiming that the special observers appointed by the EC are acting in favour of the BJP and running a parallel government in the state.

"Mamata should not forget that when she won the election in Bengal, more officers were transferred and more number of special observers was appointed to supervise the election.

"What was going on then? Was that also a parallel government? When your (Banerjee's) attempts to rig the votes and snatch people's democratic rights are foiled, you are calling it parallel government?" he questioned.

--IANS

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