West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee holds roadshow in Siliguri in support of TMC's Darjeeling candidate Gopal Lama
Apr 16, 2024
Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], April 16 : West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held a roadshow at Siliguri in support of TMC's Darjeeling constituency candidate Gopal Lama.
During the public rally in Siliguri, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee joined local artistes in dancing and tried her hands on a drum.
While speaking at the rally, the Chief Minister mentioned that if the people of Bengal want to protect their country, they should vote for TMC in the upcoming elections.
She warned that if the BJP comes into power, they will implement NRC and UCC, resulting in the loss of people's identity and rights.
"BJP will not come (to power) in Bengal. They will not win... They will bring NRC and UCC, and you all will lose your identity. They will take away all your rights, therefore if you want to save the country, vote for TMC," she said.
"We will form the government along with all our friends (INDIA bloc) across the country. But in Bengal, TMC is the only party which battles against BJP, so please cast your vote in favour of TMC," she added.
Banerjee also urged the people to vote for Gopal Lama instead of voting for an outsider.
"Don't vote for an outsider. Instead, I'll urge everyone to vote for Gopal Lama, who has worked tirelessly in Siliguri. He will work for you," she said.
TMC's Gopal Lama will challenge BJP's incumbent Darjeeling MP Raju Bista. Notably, BJP has won the LS election from Darjeeling in 2009, 2014, and 2019.
The Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency will be voting in the first phase of the upcoming election on April 19. West Bengal will be conducting polling for its 42 parliamentary constituencies in all seven phases - April 19, April 26, May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
In most of the constituencies in the state, the main fight is between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the principal opposition in the state, the BJP.
Though the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc, it does not have a seat-sharing arrangement with the other parties in the alliance, like Congress and the Left parties in the state.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for just 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4.
However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank.