Jangipur: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the BJP for using the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as a political ploy in the elections, asserting that Hindus will not benefit from it.
Addressing back-to-back rallies in minority-dominated Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies in Murshidabad district, Banerjee accused the BJP of resorting to divisive tactics fearing defeat in the initial phases of polling.
"Whenever there are elections, they use one issue or the other to flare up communal tensions. This time they are talking about the UCC and propagating that it is against a particular community. But this UCC is nothing but political rhetoric, and Hindus in no way will benefit from it," she said.
Ms Banerjee highlighted a growing anti-BJP sentiment nationwide, especially evident after the first two phases of voting.
"After witnessing the voting pattern and percentage in the first two phases, we can confidently say the BJP has lost. In the remaining five phases too, they will face a rout. Fear and panic have gripped the BJP. The defeat of the saffron camp is only a matter of time," she said.
The Trinamool boss accused the BJP leaders in Bengal of being hand in gloves in the cancellation of nearly 26,000 school jobs in the state.
"If someone has committed a mistake, it can be rectified, but snatching 26,000 jobs is unacceptable. It is a ploy by the BJP. Don't vote for the BJP which has taken away your jobs," she said.
Last week, the Calcutta High Court declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as "null and void," ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it.
The BJP leaders are "taking away jobs" despite the country having the highest unemployment rate since independence, she said. "We are giving jobs; more than 10 lakhs jobs are ready".
Dubbing the BJP a 'jumla' party, the TMC supremo accused the saffron party of "peddling lies" regarding the CAA.
"The CAA is a trap to turn legal citizens into foreigners. Once you implement the CAA, NRC will follow. We will allow neither the CAA nor the NRC in West Bengal. They wanted NRC to be implemented, but I didn't allow it to happen," Ms Banerjee said.
Ms Banerjee criticised the opposition bloc INDIA partners - CPI (M) and Congress - for "joining hands with the BJP" in West Bengal and asserted that the opposition front ceases to exist in the state.
"There is no INDIA alliance in West Bengal. Here, the CPI(M) and Congress are working for the BJP," she said.
She warned voters against supporting the Congress and the CPI(M), branding them as "agents of the BJP" in Bengal.
"The CPI(M) and the Congress are the two eyes of the BJP in West Bengal. If you are voting for them, then you are voting for the BJP. The CPI(M) and Congress are contesting in minority-dominated seats so that they can help the BJP by cutting into TMC's votes," she said.
The influence of the minorities in West Bengal, constituting nearly thirty per cent of the electorate, extends to 12-15 Lok Sabha seats, making them a coveted voting bloc for all parties.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)