Lok Sabha Election 2019: In Bengal, saffron surge takes hues of red

Political temperatures rose to abnormally high levels on Thursday finally leading to Election Commission decision to advance the end of the electoral campaign by 20 hours from 5 PM on May 17 to 10 PM on May 16.

A high political drama unfolded in Kolkata and Delhi with adversary political parties – TMC and BJP — playing the victim card and blaming each other for perpetrating violence at Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday.

While the BJP leaders chose to observe silent dharna at Delhi, TMC took a march to Vidyasagar College, where arson and vandalism took place. Congress and CPM, the other two relevant parties in West Bengal, also conducted foot marches blaming both TMC and BJP for creating an atmosphere of violence in the state and bringing it to the capital. Their anger, however, was more directed towards the BJP.

Putting the blame of Mamata Banerjee at a rally in West Bengal's Basirhat, PM Modi said, "Mamata didi had declared publicly two days ago that she will take revenge (inch inch ka badla). She fulfilled her agenda within 24 hours, BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow was attacked."

Qualifying it as "intimidating tactics", Modi said, "Mamata didi got scared after seeing the BJP wave in the state. And everyone now knows what she is capable of when scared….she is afraid of the outcome and is scared of her own shadow."

Retorting in equal measure, Mamata Banerjee accused EC of giving special room to PM Modi to help conduct last two rallies in the state on Thursday, just before the end of the campaign period. She alleged that whatever unfolded in the last 24 hours was a pre-planned conspiracy that was hatched by Modi and Shah.

In a press conference, Shah put the whole blame on the TMC for violence. "The gates of Vidyasagar College were closed. How could our workers enter it? The place of vandalised and Vidyasagar's bust was desecrated by the TMC to gain sympathy," he claimed.

Shah alleged that he would have been killed but was saved due to the presence of CRPF. He claimed to have photographic evidence o=to show TMC's involvement.

Soon, TMC leader Derek O'Brien came out with own version and claimed the violence was pre-planned by Shah. He also showed video footage that purportedly had footage of saffron-clad men breaking open the gate of the college and pelting stones and throwing rods inside the premises.