BJP will be thrown out of Bengal in 2021 polls, says Mamata Banerjee; Dilip Ghosh hits back

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday exuded confidence that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would retain power in the state and throw the BJP out in the 2021 Assembly polls.

"We will throw the BJP out of West Bengal in the 2021 Assembly elections. Trinamool Congress will form the government again. The next elections will show a new direction to the state as well as to the country," Banerjee said at annual Martyr's Day rally of TMC. 

The BJP has made deep inroads in West Bengal and emerged as the main opposition against the ruling TMC after it secured 18 out of 42 parliamentary seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The chief minister alleged that the Centre was not providing funds to West Bengal and accused the BJP of dislodging state governments using money power. 

"The Centre hasn`t given us money. They have looked down upon us and always neglected us. I have reached this stage after getting bashed up brutally all my life by the CPM. Now the BJP abuses me. Their desire is to dislodge the government. Don`t let them do this," Banerjee said. 

"If you want development, we will support you. And if you think that by playing dirty politics, you will make government here that will not happen... No one has any liberty to speak. We have to prove by taking revenge in 2021. We have to win Bengal. They will try to purchase people by offering money but remember don`t vote on the basis of money," she added. 

Shortly after her rally, West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said that she won`t be able to take oath as Chief Minister next year.

"We saw the circus today. This time 95% of her speech was for BJP. This shows she is afraid of BJP. She is urging people from different parties to come because none are joining her party. She is saying this out of depression. I am giving words that next year she won`t be able to take the oath (as Chief Minister)," Ghosh said at a press conference here.

"In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, her nephew kept on saying that we (TMC) will win all 42 seats. But I always said that `2019 mein TMC half, 2021 mein saaf` (TMC will win half of Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in 2019 and it will be wiped out in 2021)," he said.

(With ANI inputs)