Dewandighi/Raina (West Bengal), Apr 22 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hit out at Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from the state S.S. Ahluwalia, accusing him of "conspiring to divide Bengal" by fomenting unrest in the Darjeeling hills and later fleeing from there.
Ahluwalia, the sitting MP from Darjeeling, has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party from the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 polls.
"I have heard that the person, who wanted to divide Bengal, is contesting from here. Do you people know how much trouble he had caused in Darjeeling? He created unrest in the peaceful Darjeeling hills," Banerjee said at an election rally in Bardhaman district's Dewandighi.
"He was the MP of Darjeeling but fled from there during crisis. Now he is seeking votes from you people. Why would people vote for him? Do not choose someone who conspired to divide Bengal..
"Always remember that he stoked fire in the beautiful Darjeeling hills. He is a close friend of Bimal Gurung (the chief of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha that spear-headed the Gorkhaland agitation in Darjeeling hills in 2017)," she said without naming Ahluwalia.
Vouching for the Trinamool candidate Mamtaz Sanghamitra, Banerjee said she will not allow anyone to spread fire in Bengal again.
"Our candidate is a doctor and local resident. Elect her. She is very laborious... we will not forgive BJP for what they have done to this country in the last five years," she said.
In another meeting held in the district's Raina, Banerjee attacked the Narendra Modi government for threatening to implement the National Register of Citizens in Bengal and termed it as "the NRC government".
"Your government is the NRC government, a government that kills people. We do not believe in such a government," she said.
Banerjee also alleged that the Left-Congress and the BJP have joined hands in the state to defeat the Trinamool and make Modi the Prime Minister again.
"Congress-CPI-M and BJP have joined hands to make Modi the Prime Minister. They are not able to fight me and my party on the basis of political ideology and development. We have collaborated with people. Modi babu has to be ousted. It is our only aim," said the Trinamool Congress supremo.
"Their (BJP) time is up. They will not be able to win anywhere this time. It is time to politically bury BJP in the 2019 elections," she added.