When Polls Come, 'Didi' Will Be All Alone: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and said that by the time the election comes, the Chief Minister would be left all alone in her party.

"By the time elections come, you will be left all alone...Why are so many people leaving Trinamool Congress now? Because of the misrule, corruption and nepotism of Mamata Banerjee," Shah said at his mega rally.

The minister said that this is just the beginning in Bengal.

"You gave three decades to Congress, three decades to Communists and 10 years to Mamata 'Didi'. Give just 5 years to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), we will transform Bengal into 'Sonar Bangla'," he said.

Shah welcomed Suvendu Adhikari and several others to the BJP. He said that senior party members are leaving Trinamool Congress because of corruption and growing discontent among the common people.

"Didi accuses BJP of inducing party members to defect. But I want to ask her when she quit Congress to form TMC, was it not defection?" he said. The former BJP chief said that the party would form the next government in Bengal with more than 200 seats in the 294-member Assembly.

Earlier in the day, Shah paid tribute to Swami Vivekananda at the monk's birthplace in Kolkata's Simla Street. Later the Union minister travelled to West Midnapore by chopper where he paid tributes to freedom fighter Khudiram Bose and offered prayers at two temples in the district. He also visited a farmer's home for lunch after which Shah addressed the mega public rally at Midnapore College ground.

Shah is on a two-day visit to Bengal beginning Saturday to take stock of the BJP's strength in the districts ahead of the crucial Assembly polls next year. The minister reached Kolkata late on Friday night.