Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], November 26 : BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh on Wednesday sharply criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remark that she would "shake" the BJP, asserting that Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari already "shook" her in Nandigram during the 2021 Assembly elections.
Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister, Ghosh added that Mamata Banerjee entered the Assembly as a "compartmental" CM after being defeated by Suvendu Adhikari.
"To avoid any chaos, she should have spoken with understanding. Our only Leader of the Opposition shook her (hamara akela Leader of Opposition unko hila ke rakh diya tha). She herself lost the Nandigram Assembly elections and then entered the Assembly as a compartmental Chief Minister. This is a shame for West Bengal. She keeps making such movie-like statements. People should realise that this won't help our state move forward," Shankar Ghosh told reporters.
Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday sharply criticised the BJP-led Union Government, claiming that although elections in the state have yet to begin, "confrontation" has already started.
Speaking at a rally in Bangaon, Banerjee alleged that she had been denied permission to use a helicopter, which delayed her arrival. She warned the BJP that any attempt to "take her on" would not succeed.
"I thought we could use the government helicopter. But at 10 AM today, I was informed that the helicopter wouldn't fly. The election has not started, but confrontation has already begun. But they don't realise this worked in my favour. Because on the way here I met a lot of people, and I could connect and form a close relationship with them. I tell the BJP: don't try to play with me because you won't be able to compete with me," Mamata Banerjee said while addressing the gathering.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that while her government does not oppose the SIR process, genuine voters must not be removed.
She emphasised that governments are meant to be changed by the people, but, she said, the system itself is currently being altered.
"We never said it (SIR) isn't required. We said you cannot remove any genuine voter -- those who have voted, who are beneficiaries of state schemes, and who have been living here for years. You cannot remove them. The public elects the government to power, but now the system is changing. The Election Commission will decide who gets to choose the government. It is supposed to be an impartial body, not the BJP's Commission," Mamata Banerjee said.
West Bengal is set to go to elections in the first half of 2026, with the primary contest between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.