Shillong, Feb 22 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that BJP and Congress can never be the friends of the people of Meghalaya, where they could not even build roads despite ruling the country for many years.
Addressing an election rally at Rajabala in West Garo Hills district, Banerjee said that Trinamool has been fighting the battle against BJP and every day, the saffron party knocks at its doors with ED and CBI.
Banerjee also slammed the Congress for failing to fulfil its duties as the main opposition party.
"Congress is asking for votes, but what moral rights do they have? Me and other Trinamool leaders were in Congress before, but they expelled us from the party," she said.
Criticising the National People's Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, she urged people to change the government which has been in power for the past five years, but has done nothing for the people of the state.
"No medical colleges, no good roads, and no system for healthcare facilities were developed. There was no development, but only scandals. Change this scandalous government," Banerjee said.
The Trinamool supremo urged the people of Meghalaya to choose leaders from the soil, saying: "Outsiders want to rule here while oppressing you with NRC, CAA, bullets, and scandals. Meghalaya will be run by Meghalaya, not Guwahati or Delhi. We too won't run it from Bengal. We are your friends and we will only help you with whatever you need."
"Ensure victory for Trinamool as we are the ones who will remove BJP from Delhi in the coming days. Cast your vote in favour of Trinamool candidates and we will show the way to remove BJP from the country. Vote for Trinamool and we will defeat the BJP in the 2024 elections. This is our commitment," Banerjee said.
Echoing the words of Banerjee, the party's national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee assured that the Meghalaya Trinamool would implement the 'WE Card' scheme within one month of coming to power.
"We will implement the WE Card scheme within a month of forming the government under which female members of every household will get Rs 1,000 per month in their bank accounts," he said amid loud cheers from the crowd.
Condemning the NPP-led MDA government for a series of alleged scams that hit the state in the past five years, Abhishek Banerjee said, "We have explained the Meghalaya land scam in detail. Land sold by the villagers at Rs 45 per sq ft was bought from a middleman for Rs 85 per sq ft. Around Rs 150 crore, which belongs to you, was sent to their masters in Delhi."
Meghalaya Trinamool legislature party leader and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and other party leaders spoke at the public gathering organised ahead of the February 27 Assembly polls.
Earlier in the day, while addressing an election rally in Shillong, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had criticised the Trinamool, claiming that people know the history of the party which has been creating violence in Bengal while scores of its leaders are involved in chit fund scams.
"They (Trinamool) went to Goa and spent huge amounts of money to hide the misgovernance of the BJP. Trinamool has now come to Meghalaya to ensure that BJP comes to power," Rahul Gandhi said.