The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief in West Bengal has warned the Trinamool Congress of revenge after the convoy of his party’s national president JP Nadda was allegedly attacked on Thursday during his two-day tour.
“Thrash us. But thrash us only to the extent that you can handle. I am noting down everything in a red diary. We will return everything with interest,” BJP state president Dilip Ghosh posted on social media, with the slogan, “There would be change as well as revenge.”
The slogan is being seen as a reply to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee’s slogan “We need change, not revenge” before the historic 2011 polls in which she overthrew the 34-year-old Left government in the state.
Nadda’s convoy was allegedly attacked by TMC supporters in South 24-Parganas district, prompting the Union home ministry to seek a report in the matter that turned out to be the latest flashpoint in the politically charged state that will go to polls early next year.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, however, hit back, saying the attack was staged by the BJP to draw public attention. “They staged it to show people that they are being attacked. How could videos be made and circulated so fast? What were the central police force personnel, who accompany BJP leaders, doing at that time? I challenge this. I have asked the administration to inquire,” she had said on Thursday.
The BJP has alleged that more than 100 party workers have been killed and around 1,500 are languishing in jails after being implicated in false cases during the TMC regime.
Union home minister Amit Shah is also expected to visit the state later this month and camp for two days.
