Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 30 : Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh on Tuesday took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party "is not in a position to cross more than 30 seats" in the West Bengal Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in 2026.
Speaking to ANI, Ghosh slammed Home Minister Amit Shah for predicting a huge victory for the BJP in the state, calling him a "flop astrologer" after his recent remarks over the alleged infiltration of illegal immigrants in the state.
"Amit Shah is a flop astrologer. He said in 2021, "This time, we'll cross 200," but they got stuck at 77. Then, before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said they would get more seats, but it went down. It was reduced to 12. What Amit Shah says is the opposite of what actually happens; he's a flop astrologer," Ghosh said.
He further criticised the BJP, questioning its electoral grip in the state, saying, "This time, he's talking about crossing 30 seats. The BJP is not in a position to cross 30 seats."
Additionally, alleging that "the people of Bengal are angry with Amit Shah", Ghosh accused the party of harassing Bengali speakers in other states.
"Amit Shah is forgetting that the people of Bengal are angry with him. BJP members are harassing Bengali speakers in other states, calling them Bangladeshis...," the TMC leader said.
He further attacked the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, saying that the BJP government is "harassing the elderly and sick through this process."
Citing the BJP's claims that infiltration has been stopped in Tripura and Assam, Ghosh questioned the BJP and the Election Commission (EC) to provide the names of the Ghuspethiyas detected in the 58 lakh deleted voters in the state through the revision exercise.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma backed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on infiltration in West Bengal, alleging that while Assam and Tripura were taking steps to fight against illegal entry, the neighbouring state was "opening its doors to the infiltrators".
The Chief Minister called for decisive action to address infiltration along the West Bengal-Bangladesh border and welcomed the Home Minister's proposal for a national grid.
Speaking to reporters, Sarma said, "That is the factual position. While Assam and Tripura are fighting against infiltration, Bengal is opening its doors to the infiltrators. We must take strong action on the West Bengal-Bangladesh border. The Home Minister has proposed a national grid; we welcome it."
Earlier today, while addressing a press conference in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah questioned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged infiltration of illegal immigrants in the state, accusing her government of refusing to provide land for border fencing.
"It is the West Bengal government which is not allotting land to establish border fencing along Bangladesh. Can the CM answer why infiltration has stopped at the borders of Tripura, Assam, Rajasthan, Punjab, Kashmir and Gujarat? It is because, in West Bengal, infiltration occurs under your watch to bring about demographic change and strengthen your votes. The next election will be fought on the issues of stopping infiltration and removing infiltrators from here. Infiltration happening from the Bengal border is an issue of national security," Shah said.
He said infiltration has stopped in Tripura and Assam, but continues in West Bengal. Shah claimed that Mamata Banerjee wants infiltration to continue for political purposes, saying it was "to expand her vote bank".
"Mamata, today I want to ask you a simple question. Which government refuses to provide land for border fencing? I will answer it myself -- it is your government that does not provide land for border fencing. I then want to ask why infiltrators first enter Bengal. What are your patwaris and police stations doing? Why are these infiltrators not sent back? Can the Bengal government explain why infiltration has been stopped in Assam and Tripura? It is happening only in Bengal because this is taking place under your watch. You want to change Bengal's demography to expand your vote bank," he said.