Mamata dares PM to prove painting charge, accuses BJP of trying to run parallel govts in states

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dared the Prime Minister to prove the BJP's charge that she had got money from selling her paintings to chit fund owners, as she launched a no-holds-barred attack on the rival party accusing it making false allegations to make "Begalis fight Bengalis".

"Half-educated leaders from Delhi" without having any knowledge about the culture and customs of West Bengal were levelling allegations against her government, Banerjee alleged, hitting back at the BJP a day after its chief Amit Shah at a public meeting in East Midnapore district targeted her government's functioning.

Shah had alleged Banerjee's paintings were bought by tainted chit fund owners for crores of rupees.

Banerjee on Wednesday said that the BJP leaders have no courtesy and her party has issued defamation notice over their "baseless" allegations.

Vowing to continue her fight, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said she has never bowed to anybody's threats. She alleged the BJP is trying to run parallel governments in states not ruled by it and said that she will happy to see the BJP-led central government "expire politically".

"Modi Babu (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). I can challenge you to prove that I have taken a single penny (using my paintings) in my account.

"You (BJP leaders) talk like a barbarian and have no minimum courtesy. Our party has sent a notice to him yesterday. If needed we will file a defamation suit against him (Amit Shah)," Banerjee said addressing a public distribution programme of the state government here,
Claiming that the BJP would not get a single seat in the upcoming general elections in West Bengal, she said, "Your (BJP-led central government) expiry date has been declared. Please expire politically. We will be very happy to see."