West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the Trinamool's electioncampaign in Assam on Friday, attacked Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP's "key person" in the northeast. She claimed that her government has proof that "he had received Rs 3 crore" from the owner of Sarada, a firm embroiled in ponzi scam.
The Trinamool Congress chief also claimed that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill are "two lollipops" being doled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "fool" the people of Assam.
Addressing the election rally in Dhubri, Ms Banerjee said the Trinamool has decided to contest in Assam after "40 lakh people were excluded" from the NRC. "We will contest in nine Lok Sabha seats in Assam. We have made a start. Do not consider us weak," she said.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trinamool chief said that PM Modi talks about chit funds in West Bengal, but it is the state government which has exposed and arrested those involved in the ponzi scam.
"Sarada's owner has said he had given Rs 3 crore in cash to Assam Minister Sarma and I have documentary evidence which I have brought with me," Ms Banerjee said, waving a document at the rally. "Has Modi taken action against him? Have you arrested him?" she asked.
The TMC chief handed over the paper to the party's Dhubri nominee Nurul Islam Choudhury, saying, "Our candidate will show it to you so that you can move court armed with this document."
Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is a key person for the BJP in the northeast, the party's national general secretary Ram Madhav had said last month. Mr Sarma is also the convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the regional platform of the NDA.
Mamata Banerjee claimed that the NRC had left out the names of 40 lakh people and it was only the Trinamool Congress that stood beside these people irrespective of their religion.
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