Bengal turns battleground for Lok Sabha 2019, BJP holds back to back rallies with PM, Yogi

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself a star campaigner in Bengal, the campaigning of BJP reached a feverish pitch as the PM targeted Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Avishek Banerjee in their home bastion over everything- from corruption and extortion to border infiltration.

In an all-out war between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), Kolkata even witnessed violence and vandalism on Tuesday evening when an Amit Shah roadshow became a ground for pitched battles between the two sides, leading to injuries and desecration of a bust of Bengal's iconic social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

On Wednesday, the incident remained the main issue of campaign for both the parties.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a roadshow in the same route of Amit Shah roadshow in Kolkata on Wednesday while the BJP  held back to back rallies in Bengal including two by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.

Modi addressed two rallies-one in Basirhat at 2 pm and one in Diamond Harbour at 4 pm.

PM Modi rallies:

Attacking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Avishek Banerjee vehemently at the rally in Diamond Harbour in West Bengal on Wednesday, Modi said the reign of terror and cries of revenge on the BJP would soon be answered with change in power by the state's people.

The PM said the BJP will keep fighting for Bengal and ensure that the border of Bengal get modern fencing and infiltration is dealt with.

"In Mamata Banerjee's Bengal, only the infiltrators are living without fear," he said.

Attacking both the CM and Avishek Banerjee on corruption, he said tolabazzi (extortion) is rampant in Bengal.

Urging the people to vote for BJP, Modi hollered: "Chup chap, kamal chap" (Silently stamp on the lotus symbol).

"The expiry date of Didi's goondaism has passed," Modi said, attacking Mamata drawing from her words with the Bengal CM terming Modi as expiry PM again and again.

He also targeted Mamata over the  issue of arrest of a woman BJP youth leader for sharing a meme of the CM at Basirhat rally and said: "Didi I'm told you are an artist and a painter. Why are you offended by a photograph."

"Since you're a painter, please paint as uncomplimentary a  picture of mine as possible and then keep it with you. After May 23 when I take oath as PM please gift it to me and I will keep it forever. I assure you that I will not file an FIR against you," he said.

Speaking on the violence that occurred during a roadshow by BJP chief Amit Shah in North Kolkata, Modi said, "Two days ago, she had said that she will take revenge of every inch, and see within 24 hours of her remark, Amit Shah was targetted during the roadshow."

Yogi's rally:

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday rejected Trinamool Congress party's claims that outsiders had joined the BJP roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday which turned violent and said the party has enough workers in the state and did not need to make such a move.

He said the TMC is making 'irresponsible comments'.

"Bengal BJP has enough workers. So we don't need outsiders," Yogi said while addressing a press conference in the city.

He said: "TMC is nervous and puzzled by BJP's imminent victory so making such irresponsible comments."

He also denied that the BJP vandalized the bust of Vidyasagar, arguing that they believe in idol worship while the Trinamool Congress would event prevent the Durga Puja immersion because it clashed with a Muslim festival.

What did Amit Shah say?

Accusing West Bengal's ruling party of hatching a conspiracy against the saffron outfit, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah on Wednesday said the Trinamool Congress goons have actually vandalised the bust of Bengali's iconic social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar to win the "lost" Lok Sabha polls.

Shah at a press conference said: "We were outside the Vidyasagar college and the gate of the college was intact. Then who vandalised the bust? It was a conspiracy by Trinamool and they vandalised the bust. Who broke the locks of the college? How could BJP workers get the keys of the college room. All these prove that Trinamool goons vandalised the bust to win the lost battle."

The bust was kept in a glass showcase in the premises of Vidyasagar College. Prior to the vandalisation, a scuffle between the BJP and Trinamool supporters broke out outside Calcutta University in north Kolkata through which Shah's roadshow was passing.

Shah also said no other state, where BJP is fighting several opposition parties, is witnessing such violence.

"No violence in other states but only Bengal which means Trinamool is the reason behind it. If BJP was the reason then violence would have taken place in all other states," said he.