Lok Sabha poll will be ahead of schedule: Mamata

Mamata Banerjee, who recently mooted the idea of a Federal Front of non-Congress and non-BJP regional parties, today predicted that the next Lok Sabha poll would be held ahead of schedule and expressed confidence that regional parties would form the government.
"The UPA government will go in three to four month's time and regional parties will form the government at the Centre after the next Lok Sabha election. The ruling coalition will decide how the states would run," Banerjee told a panchayat election rally here in South 24-Paraganas district.
Accusing the UPA government of discriminating against the state, she said the Centre was deducting Rs 25,000 crore from the state for the 2.5 lakh loans taken by the previous government.

"Why should we pay Rs 25,000 crore as interest payment for the loan taken by the previous government? Why did the Centre allow the previous Left Front government to take such a huge amount of loan. When the next government will come we will stop making such payment and create 10 lakh jobs instead.
Continuing to slam a section of the media including some local TV news channels for spreading canards against her government, she said, "They are targeting me because I come from a ordinary family".
With her government coming under attack from the intellectuals, opposition and the media for the rising rape incidents in the state, she said, "Two or three incidents (rape) have happened which are unfortunate. But my government has swiftly taken action."

"In Malda, the (rape) incident happened in April and my government got the culprits charge sheeted in 27 days. This is called good governance. This is paribartan (change)."

Referring to the Barasat rape and murder, she said, "The Barasat incident is tragic, but we arrested the accused within 24 hours. My government has done its bit."
Attacking a section of the media and her critics for "blowing things out of proportion", she asked the women who came in large numbers to listen to her whether they felt safe.
The women responded immediately with a big "yes".