New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (March 3) slammed the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh, saying the saffron party’s loss is imminent in the ongoing state Assembly elections.
The TMC supremo is in UP’s Varanasi to campaign for the Samajwadi Party and its allies ahead of the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh election.
Talking about the protest she faced in Varanasi on Wednesday when she was on the way to take part in Ganga Aarti, Banerjee said, “Yesterday when I was going to Ghat from airport, I saw some BJP workers -who have nothing else except hooliganism in their brains- stopping my vehicle. They hit my car with sticks and told me to go back. Then I realised that they're gone. Their (BJP) loss is imminent.”
The West Bengal CM added that she is a “fighter” and will not be intimidated. “I am not scared. I am not a coward. I am a fighter. I faced thrashings and bullets several times in my life. But I never bowed down. Yesterday when they were surrounding me, I got down from my car and faced them to see what they can do. They are cowards,” ANI quoted the TMC supremo as saying.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi over stranded Indians in Ukraine, Banerjee said, "Bringing back Indian students from Ukraine important, but PM Modi busy in UP meetings."
On Wednesday, Banerjee faced protests from Hindu Yuva Vahini, which was founded by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about two decades ago, during her visit to Varanasi. Members of the right-wing outfit waved black flags and raised slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ when she was travelling to Dashashwamedh Ghat to attend the 'Ganga Aarti' on Wednesday evening.
These right-wing outfit members protested in front of her convoy at the Chetganj crossing, even as the police made efforts to stop them. The West Bengal CM got down from her vehicle and stood on the road for some time.
After the convoy moved on, some BJP supporters showed her black flags and raised slogans of "Mamata Banerjee wapas jao (go back)" and "Jai Shri Ram" in Gadaulia area, PTI reported.
The last phase of UP polls is on March 7, with the results on March 10.
(With agency inputs)
