Polls will sound 'death knell' for BJP, end Modi's 'reign of

The Lok Sabha polls will sound the "death knell" for the BJP and bring an end to Narendra Modi's "reign of fear", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted Tuesday.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said the electoral battle will be between a "united India and some isolated people", as she mounted a scalding assault on the BJP and the prime minister.

"The 2019 Lok Sabha polls will sound the death knell for the BJP and give people freedom from the reign of fear of Narendra Modi. It will be a fight between a united India and some isolated people," she told a press conference after releasing the list of TMC candidates for all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

She claimed that she had information that "VVIPs" were using helicopters and chartered flights to transport money to bribe voters ahead of the polls.

Banerjee assailed the Centre over a host of issues, including the Rafale deal, farm distress and shrinking employment opportunities.

Backing Congress president Rahul Gandhi's allegations against the government over the Rafale deal, the TMC chief said, "I completely agree with what Rahul Gandhi is saying about Rafale scam. They (BJP) are threatening journalists like N Ram for speaking the truth."