Give fitting reply to Delhi 'conspiracy', Mamata says voters

A day after she climbed down from her belligerence against the Election Commission agreeing to transfer seven top officials as directed, Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged voters to give a "fitting reply" to the "conspiracy by Delhi" by electing TMC candidates in all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.

"Remember, by transferring the officers the government cannot be transferred. I was there in West Bengal, I am there and I will remain there," she said, addressing a poll rally here in Burdwan district.

The West Bengal Chief Minister said people would not take the "insult" lying down and would take the revenge democratically.

"When the ballot boxes will be opened you will find.

Earlier we thought that we will win 35 to 36 seats. Now people will get us elected in all 42 seats," she said.

Banerjee came down heavily on the CPM, Congress and BJP which, she said, joined hands against her party and spread canards about her party and the government.

The opposition parties, she alleged, also lodged complaints (to the EC) "one after another" and "maligned" her ever since the government brought peace in Jangalmahal, erstwhile Maoist stronghold.

The opposition parties were also up in arms against her government for bringing back peace in the Darjeeling hills which witnessed violence over the statehood demand.

She reminded people that the CPM had once lodged complaints (to the EC) against the TMC and had indulged in rigging in elections and perpetrated torture on people.

"It was this CPI(M) which had once asked Amitava Lala (a retired high court judge) to leave Bengal," she also said.

She alleged that ever since TMC quit the UPA government over the decision to allow FDI in retail and cap on LPG cylinders besides hiking the prices of diesel, the "central government is using some agencies against me day and night".

"They are saying that unless Mamata Banerjee is finished (politically), Delhi cannot be captured," she said.

Predicting a disastrous defeat of the Congress in the Lok Sabha election, the TMC supremo said, "Bengal will show the path to Delhi in the coming days. No conspiracy will be able to checkmate the rise of her party as a political force and its role in government formation in Delhi."