BJP takes dip in Ganga before elections: Mamata Banerjee in Goa

Banerjee's remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor in Varanasi on Monday

Taking a jibe at top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the leaders of the ruling party at the centre take a dip into the river Ganga when elections round the corner.

Addressing a public meeting here, Banerjee said, "When elections round the corner, BJP take a dip into the Ganga. Before elections, they sit inside the temple in Uttarakhand. And, when people die due to COVID, they flow the bodies into the same 'Maa Ganga'. They have desecrated the holy Ganga. When BJP does not have anything, they make fake videos. They have ruined the country."

Banerjee's remarks came a day after Prime Miniter Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor in Varanasi on Monday.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said she believe in every religion and participate in festivals of all religions. She alleged that BJP "chants Hinduism" before elections to seek votes.

"I chant Chadipath every day. ...I also belong to a Brahmin family, I am a Brahmin. But my identity is I am a human being. I do not need to take a character certificate from BJP. India is a secular country. You cannot isolate minorities," she stated.

Banerjee emphasised that Goa should be ruled by Goans only.

"We want the BJP rule to an end in Goa. Everyone needs to unite to defeat BJP in Goa. We made an alliance and BJP got scared. Along with MGP, TMC has become the true alternative to BJP in Goa. Goa will be ruled by the people of Goa, not by Delhi. Delhi's Dadagiri ana nakka. Kendra chi dadagiri anikka nakka," said the West Bengal chief minister.

TMC and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) formed an alliance for the forthcoming Goa Assembly polls.

"We are delighted to announce the alliance with MGP for the upcoming assembly election in 2022. This partnership will be a winning partnership for Goa. Navya Goeank Navi Yuti," tweeted AITC Goa.

Mamata Banerjee is on a three-day tour to goa. Earlier today, she held a meeting with leaders of the TMC's Goa unit.

The TMC aggressively started campaigning for the upcoming polls after former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro joined the party. Faleiro joined TMC in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee after resigning from the Congress party.

Goa is scheduled to go for the Assembly polls in early 2022.

Goa Assembly has a strength of 40 members out of which BJP currently has 17 legislators and enjoys the support of legislators from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and three independents. GFP and MGP each have three MLAs.Congress, on the other hand, has 15 MLAs in the house.