Rakesh Tikait has been main a protest in opposition to Centre’s agriculture legal guidelines (File)
Kolkata:
Amid an intense Trinamool vs BJP combat over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee getting injured final week, farmers’ chief Rakesh Tikait addressed a mahapanchayat (public assembly) in Bengal’s Nandigram. “Do not vote for the BJP,” he appealed to folks of the state from the meeting constituency, the place Ms Banerjee will tackle Suvendu Adhikari, whose exit from the Trinamool Congress final yr triggered an exodus of leaders from the get together.
“That is my message to the folks of Bengal. The (BJP-led) central authorities has looted the nation…do not vote for them (BJP). If they arrive to you searching for votes, ask them: when will we get our MSP (minimal assist worth),” he mentioned.
Mr Tikait, who has been main a large farmers’ protest in opposition to the three central agriculture legal guidelines on the Delhi-UP border, was welcomed in Kolkata by Trinamool MP Dola Sen earlier at this time.
Earlier than leaving for Nandigram, Mr Tikait – a critic of the BJP-led central authorities over farm points – met get together leaders at Kolkata’s Mayo Street.
Calling the alleged assault on Ms Banerjee unlucky, he mentioned he’ll journey throughout Bengal to marketing campaign in opposition to the BJP.
Ms Banerjee sustained accidents to her foot, head and chest final week whereas campaigning in Nandigram after submitting her nomination papers. She informed reporters that four-five unknown folks pushed her and shut the automotive door on her.
Whereas the Trinamool Congress accused the BJP and the Election Fee of getting a task within the matter, the opposition mentioned it was an accident and Ms Banerjee was doing “drama” for sympathy votes.
The Election Fee earlier this week strongly reacted to Trinamool’s allegation that the “assault” came about a day after the removing of the Bengal police chief.
“It appears undignified to even reply to the allegations of all this being finished on the behest of a selected political get together,” the ballot panel had mentioned in its response.
The allegations nearly amounted to undermining the very basis and cloth of the Structure of India, mentioned the highly effective election physique, asserting that the Fee “doesn’t applicable or take over the day-to-day governance of any state together with West Bengal”.
Ms Banerjee was discharged from the hospital on Friday.
The Election Fee on Friday declared a Bengal chief secretary report on the Nandigram episode “not complete”.
The report had no mention of the “four-five persons”, who allegedly attacked her, an official of the state election workplace informed information company PTI. It, nevertheless, referred to the presence of an enormous crowd on the spot, he added.
The eight-phased Bengal meeting election will start on March 27. Counting will happen on Could 2.
