By Navneet Mishra
New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS): BJP national general secretary and West Bengal-in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya says Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is feeling afraid. She has decided to also contest from the Nandigram seat since the ground beneath her feet is shaky.
On her decision to contest from Nandigram along with present seat Bhawanipur, Vijayvargiya said people have recognised this and will teach the TMC a lesson. He claimed the BJP will form the next government in Bengal by winning 200 seats. Earlier, as in-charge of Bengal, Vijayvargiya helped the BJP win 18 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
In an interview to IANS on Wednesday, Vijayvargiya said that many more MPs and MLAs from the ruling Trinamool Congress want to come to the BJP, but the party will not include people with a tainted image. Vijayvargiya told IANS, "A lot of people from Mamata's party are in touch with us, but we are not welcoming just anybody. We'll welcome those leaders who are suitable for the BJP. We will not let those leaders join the party who've been a part of the Mamata Banerjee government mafia."
Vijayvargiya said that from February 5, the BJP will launch a Parivartan Rath Yatra (journey by chariot to usher in change) in Bengal. "The yatra will travel to all 294 seats in Bengal. Through the yatra, we will convey to the people the failures of the state government and the success of the Modi government at the Centre. It will also reveal how the Mamata government has damaged the image of the state by creating a violent atmosphere."
Responding to a question on Mamata Banerjee contesting from Nandigram, he said, "She wants to take the safe option. Mamata has said she would also contest from Nandigram. At the time of the violence, Mamata had told the people of Nandigram she would take the police officers who opened fire to the gallows. But not only did she offer plum postings to the officers but also made them OSDs after their retirement."
How credible is the BJP's claim of winning 200 seats in Bengal? On this question, Vijayvargiya said, "The kind of wind that is blowing it indicates that the BJP will definitely form the government by winning 200 seats in Bengal. I'll not be surprised if the BJP wins even more seats than this."
He dismissed reports that the BJP cadres in the state are upset with the arrival of several TMC leaders to the party. Vijayvargiya said that the BJP is including only those outsiders with a clean image. There is no problem anywhere.