Kolkata:

The Trinamool has launched a fresh “outsider” attack on the BJP in its new campaign ahead of the national elections, accusing its leaders of “booing” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Trinamool’s number two Abhishek Banerjee took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and termed the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a contest between “Bengalis and outsiders”.

“Before, thieves went to jail, now they go to the BJP, that’s Modi’s guarantee. On the other side is a woman who still lives in a tin-roofed house and wears Hawaiian sandals. Who does Bengal want? Modi or Modi Didi? Son of the soil of Bengal or an outsider?” he was addressing a huge rally in Kolkata.

Ms Banerjee is affectionately known as “Didi” by her supporters and political circles.

The Trinamool has often viewed the BJP as an “anti-Bengal” party, especially after the party expanded its base in West Bengal after the 2019 elections.

In the previous Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 18 out of 42 seats in Bengal, its highest win in an eastern state. In the 2021 parliamentary elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party became the main opposition party with 77 seats, marginalizing the Congress Party of Malaya.

Trinamool today launched ‘Jonogoner Gorjon Bangla Birodhider BisorjonThe movement means “people are demanding the expulsion of anti-Bengali forces” and highlights what the party considers to be the “anti-Bengali character” of the BJP.

“They have consistently shown anti-Bengali attitudes and deprived the people of Bengal of basic necessities. bread, clothes, foodand abuse their power to silence Bangladeshi voices,” they posted online.

The party accused the BJP-led government of conspiring against Bengal and said “every action taken by the BJP exhibits anti-Bengali and anti-Bengali characteristics”.

“The past 10 years have witnessed constant attempts by these overlords from outside Bengal to tarnish the image of the country and its people through contrived and often violent machinations,” the Trinamool said.

Reports said that despite the “boos” from the BJP leaders, Ms. Banerjee continued to fight calmly and the people were determined to defeat them. “BJP leaders continue to mock, insult and boo Mamata Banerjee, the country’s only woman chief minister. However, she continues to fight for the people unmoved,” the party said.