The BJP Prime Ministerial candidate's attack on the Trinamool Congress triggered an angry reaction from the ruling party which said he is a person who has "blood on his hands" and who is trying to divide India on the basis of religion.
"When the government changed in Bengal, I thought there would be development. But nothing has happened. They are only indulging in votebank politics," Modi told an election rally here.
Modi sang a different tune today since in his earlier speech in Kolkata in February he took a soft stand on Banerjee and had even asked the people to have "Didi in Bengal and BJP in Delhi".
"It's been two years since the new government took charge, but have you seen any parivartan? People have been cheated. If you have a strong and progressive-minded government in Delhi, every small thing will fall in place," he said.
"Mukyamantriji, aap jitne kichar uchaloge, utna jyada kamal khilega (Madam Chief Minister, the more you indulge in mudslinging, the more will the lotus bloom)," Modi said.
Modi also criticised TMC over the multicrore Saradha chitfund scam, and said "they must be punished.
"Those who have indulged in loot in such a short span of time, what will they do if they get more time and opportunity?," he asked in an indirect reference to allegations of involvement of some TMC leaders in the scam.
Criticising Modi as a person with "blood on his hands", TMC MP and spokesman Derek O'Brien said the Gujarat Chief Minister was daydreaming of becoming the next prime minister but, the people would not allow such a 'nightmare' to happen.
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