Amit Shah said the BJP will "restore the glory of Bengal" at a campaign in the state.
BJP chief Amit Shah triggered a political storm in Bengal today, claiming at a rally that the Mamata Banerjee's government has reduced "Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal)" to "Kangal Bangla (Beggar Bengal)". It infuriated the state's ruling Trinamool Congress, whose chief lashed out at Mr Shah, calling him a "fathead" and citing the Gujarat riots. Tweeting under the hashtag "#LowLife", senior party leader Derek O'Brien called him "puke-worthy".
"He (Amit Shah) is a fat-head. Half-literate. All they know is how to start a riot... I'm willing to lay down my life, but there will no riot under my watch," said Mamata Banerjee, who had earlier accused Prime Minister and his party of using unparliamentary language and lowering the political discourse.
Amit Shah, who had squeezed in six more rallies by himself and Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the elections end on Sunday, could only hold two scheduled today. The state government had allegedly refused permission for his chopper to land in Kolkata, and withdrew permission for one of the two rallies in the city.
In his address at the remaining two, Amit Shah had launched a merciless attack on the Chief Minister. He accused her of attempting to sabotage his visit to save her nephew, who, Mr Shah said, was contesting from one of the areas.
"Mamata Banerjee has turned Sonar (golden) Bangla into Kangal (beggar) Bangla. She is only interested in protecting infiltrators to secure her vote bank. But her vote bank won't be able to save her from imminent defeat," he asserted. "We will restore the glory of Bengal," added the BJP chief, who is targeting 23 of Bengal's 42 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
"The Mamata Banerjee government is visibly perplexed. She wants to stop me from attending rallies. Can you (Banerjee) prevent your defeat this way? The TMC can stop me from attending rallies but can't stop the victory march of the BJP in Bengal," he maintained.
Within hours, senior Trinamool Congress leader and party spokesperson Derek O'Brien tweeted:
More than once, Ms Banerjee has accused the Prime Minister and the BJP of using unparliamentary language.
Even today she said, "They are constantly saying we are tolabaj, dacoit, chor. Is this a Prime Minister's language? Today one of his people said Mamata has made Bengal a beggar. Does he know the meaning of the word kangal? How dare he? Not a single person should vote for this party,"
The last nine seats that are yet to vote in Bengal, will have polling on Sunday. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.