Painting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a self-absorbed leader who renames stadiums after himself and has his photographs printed on coronavirus vaccination certificates, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the day is not far when the country will be renamed after him.
"The Prime Minister has named a stadium after him. He has put his photographs on COVID-19 vaccination certificates. He is making ISRO send his picture to space. A day will come when the country will be named after him," Mr Banerjee, who led a rally in Kolkata for International Women's Day, said.
Responding to PM Modi's barbs from a day before at a rally in Kolkata's famous Brigade Ground about her trying to ride an electric scooter and the condition of women in the state, Ms Banerjee said the Prime Minister had "turned Brigade into B-Grade".
"They (BJP leaders) will come to Bengal only during elections and spread canards and lies. He is lecturing us on women's safety. What is the situation of women in BJP-ruled states? What is the situation in Modi's favourite Gujarat?" she said.
Ms Banerjee said PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should shift their focus on BJP-ruled states, including "model state" Gujarat, "where, media reports suggest, four rapes and two killings have been recorded every day over the past two years."
Calling the West Bengal elections a "Didi versus BJP" contest, she said, "The fight is between me and the BJP in all 294 seats."
Mamata Banerje's rally began in College Square area in central Kolkata and concluded near Dorina crossing, five kilometres away. Senior party leaders Chandrima Bhattacharyaa and Mala Roy joined the march. New Trinamool recruits actors June Maliah, Saayoni Ghosh and Sayantika Banerjee were also seen taking part in the rally.
West Bengal will hold elections in a record eight phases starting March 27 in a contest that has seen the BJP pull out all stops, including poaching a large number Trinamool leaders, to unseat the two-time Chief Minister. Votes will be counted on May 2.
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