West Bengal Elections: Mamata says Jangalmahal will witness unrest if CPI(M) wins

Reminding the people of Maoist violence in tribal Jangalmahal during Left Front rule, West Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today said peace has returned in the area and warned them that the region would again witness unrest if CPI(M) was returned to power.

"If you allow CPI(M) to return to power, violence will again hit Jangalmahal (former Maoist stronghold in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore districts). The area had hit the headlines for bloodshed during Left Front rule," Banerjee told an election meeting here on the second day of her campaign in West Midnapore. She claimed since Trinamool government came, there had been an all round development of Junglemahal region while Left Wing Extremism had also been contained.

Listing the development work undertaken by her government in the area, the Trinamool Congress supremo said "I am not like a cuckoo which can be seen only during spring. I always come here and you always get me".
Referring to the Congress-Left electoral pact, she said "Congress and CPI(M) have become bhai bhai (brothers). Congress has now become CPI(M)'s A team. You (the people) have to defeat Congress, CPI(M) and BJP".
She said that being jealous of the development work done by her government, CPI(M) and Congress have resorted to a smear campaign against her party and dared them to fight her politically.

"Fight me politically. I will be happy. I am nobody's enemy," she said adding "There are medicines for many diseases but none for jealousy." Targetting BJP, she said that the party was always looking for an opportunity to foment a riot. Playing the development card, she said, "Now peace has been restored in the area and people are living in harmony.

They are getting rice at Rs two per kilo and also the benefits of various welfare schemes initiated by the state government". Reaching out to the voters in alchiki (the language of the tribals), Banerjee said her party had also brought out the election manifesto in that language.