Mamata Banerjee addresses Trinamool rally in Siliguri. (Agence France-Presse)
Two days after BJP president Amit Shah launched a vicious attack against her party in Kolkata, Trinamol Congress chief Mamata Banerjee hit back, saying the saffron party was targeting her party because it was playing the role of main Opposition in Delhi.
"Today Trinamool Congress is playing the role of main Opposition in Delhi. That is why they are targeting us. Those in power in Delhi know Trinamool is their main opponent. But they cannot sweep us away with brooms," She told a party workers' meeting in Siliguri.
The West Bengal Chief Minister called upon Opposition parties to forge unity against the Narendra Modi government which, she alleged, "was trying to sell out the country".
"They only make grand speeches. There is a limit to fooling people. The Centre is cheating people. They are diluting the 100 day's rural guarantee scheme," Ms Banerjee said.
"Soon after coming to power the BJP hiked FDI in Railways, Defence. The reduction of prices of fuel in India is not at par with the reduction of prices in global market."
"They are out to sell out the country," she said adding, "I heard that the Centre has hiked the excise duty on petrol and diesel again. They deregulated prices of fuel.
"I urge the Opposition parties to unite against this government in Parliament. We will remain behind them. Let the government be strong and the Opposition be strong," she said.
Ms Banerjee ridiculed Mr Shah's challenge to uproot the Trinamool regime, saying a "party which cannot manage Delhi is trying to capture Bengal".
"Who are they to tell us to go to Bangladesh? What do they know about the history and heritage of Bengal? You manage Delhi first. You eat Delhi's laddoo first. One who eats Delhi's ladoo repents and one who does not eat Delhi ladoo repents," she said.
She also targeted Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar for inviting Narendra Modi to address his cabinet colleagues in Agartala, saying, "The CPI(M) has invited BJP to Tripura... CPI(M)-BJP bhai bhai. One is chhota bhai, the other bada bhai".