Mamata Banerjee claimed BJP leaders are trying to divide the state on communal lines (File)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday alleged that the Congress and the Left are working together to help the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls so that Narendra Modi could become the Prime Minister again.
She said those who used to support the Left Front during their rule in the state, have changed sides to join hands with the BJP in West Bengal.
"The Congress and the CPM have joined hands to help the BJP so that Modi can become the prime minister again. The three - BJP as ''Ram'' in the middle with ''Baam'' (the Left Front) on its the left and ''Shyam'' (Congress) sitting on the right side - are together, Ms Banerjee said addressing a rally in Raina in West Bengal's Burdwan district.
"Those who were ''harmads'' of the CPM have now become bosses in the BJP," the Trinamool Congress chief said.
Goons, anti-social elements and armed cadres are often referred to as ''harmads'' in West Bengal.
She also urged people not to vote for the CPI(M) or the Congress.
"If you vote for the CPI(M) or the Congress then it will directly go to the BJP because they all are together," Ms Banerjee said.
Taking a dig at the BJP leaders, Ms Banerjee said the BJP comes only during the elections just like a cuckoo bird in spring.
She also claimed BJP leaders are trying to divide the state on communal lines.
"Where were they last year when the state was affected by floods?" she asked.
"These BJP leaders are like cuckoo birds who come during spring time. They are trying to divide West Bengal on communal lines," Ms Banerjee said.
Earlier, while addressing a public meeting at Dewandighi, the TMC chief accused SS Ahluwalia, sitting BJP lawmaker of Darjeeling constituency, of creating problems there to divide West Bengal.
Mr Ahluwalia is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Burdwan-Durgapur constituency this time. "Here, you have a candidate for the BJP who tried to divide the state. Who created disturbances in Darjeeling?" she asked.
"He was the MP from Darjeeling, escaped from there and is contesting from here. Do not vote for him. If you do so, he will try to divide the state again," Ms Banerjee said, adding that Mr Ahluwalia is a "friend" of former Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader, Bimal Gurung.
"We have restored peace in Darjeeling but we will not let you disrupt peace in Burdwan," she said.
The BJP has fielded Mr Ahluwalia against TMC's Mamtaz Sanghamita. The Congress has nominated Ranajit Mukherjee while the CPM has named Abhas Roy Choudhury as its candidate from the Durgapur-Burdwan Lok Sabha constituency which will go to polls on April 29.