Kolkata: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh Sunday termed Trinamool Congress’ Martyrs’ Day rally as a “mega flop show” and claimed that the attendance in the rally was the lowest in its history of 26 years.
Claiming that Bengal’s ruling party had failed to bring in even one-fourth of the crowd it had gathered on this occasion in previous years, Ghosh said such low attendance proved the hollowness Trinamool claims.
“It was mega-flop show. Many people have been disappointed by the circus. The whole programme was disappointing. The Chief Minister’s speech was also full of disappointments. She has put all the blame on me and BJP,” Ghosh said at the state BJP headquarters here.
“The turnout was the lowest in the 26 years’ history of the Martyrs’ Day. They (Trinamool) organised only this programme just once this year. The attendance in today’s meeting shows Trinamool’s skeleton has come out. People have given them a signal in the 2019 polls,” he said.
Refuting Banerjee’s Martyrs’ Day speech allegation that that the Central government had cancelled many trains to impede the Trinamool supporters from coming to the rally, and of BJP workers attacking and vandalising buses carrying Trinamool rallyists, Ghosh said it was a ploy to divert people’s attention from the low attendance in the rally.
“I do not know where the trains have been stopped. Rather, more local trains have been given this year. Extra coaches have been attached to the express trains for people’s convenience. But many trains and buses were half empty,” Ghosh claimed.
“The political scenario has completely changed. Those who cannot read the writing on the wall face such consequences,” he added.
An FIR was lodged against Ghosh Sunday for allegedly threatening to pull Trinamool workers off buses on the way to Sunday’s Martyrs’ Day rally.
He said such false police action was initiated against him although he and his party members did not indulge in any form of “provocation or disturbance”.
He also trashed Banerjee’s claims that the CBI is threatening to put many Trinamool leaders behind bars if they do not switch to the BJP. “I can challenge Mamata Banerjee that if she really has the details, then she should reveal the name of these CBI officials. We will also take steps against them. CBI does not have the right to direct people about their political affiliation. She has become so desperate that she is trying to defame CBI by labelling false allegations against them,” Ghosh said.
Taking a swipe at Banerjee for saying the saffron party has offered one of Trinamool MLAs Rs 2 crore and a petrol pump to join BJP, Ghosh said everyone in Bengal knows that none of the Trinamool leaders, including Banerjee herself, has that kind of brand value in Bengal politics at present.