Bengal Election: Smriti Irani Says Mamata Banerjee Has Done 'Khela' With Bengal

Bengal Election Smriti Irani: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Friday took a swipe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a public gathering in Haldia. She said while Narendra Modi will bring 'poribortan' (development) to the state if the saffron party comes to power in the 2021 assembly election, Banerjee has done 'khela' (played) with Bengal.

Irani was accompanying her party's Suvendhu Adhikari on his nomination filing in Nandigram, where he will be facing off to Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Banerjee for the seat. Banerjee is currently at a Kolkata hospital, getting treated for injuries she sustained during an 'attack' on Wednesday. More about the incident here.

"I want to tell Didi...you do 'khela', Modi will do 'poriborton'," Irani said. "And Didi’s 'khela' (game) is big, she changes names of Centre's schemes. 'Daarun khel!' (Great game!)... You’ve done 'khela' with Bengal, Didi!"

Ahead Of Bengal Election Smriti Irani Addresses Haldia

Irani

I came to ask Didi that which daughter needs to be voted? Who thrashed an 80-yr-old woman? Who murdered BJP workers? Who doesn't allow Durga idol immersion & Saraswati Puja? Who does Chandi Path when she comes to Nandigram & says Khela Hobe?: Union Min Smriti Irani in Haldia, WB pic.twitter.com/9xnCBclxU3

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2021 "I came to ask Didi that which daughter needs to be voted? Who thrashed an 80-yr-old woman? Who murdered BJP workers? Who doesn't allow Durga idol immersion & Saraswati Puja? Who does Chandi Path when she comes to Nandigram & says Khela Hobe?"

The remark is a reference to Banerjee's election slogan: Bangla nijer meye-kei chaye. (meaning: Bengal wants its own daughter.) Irani's 80-year-old woman reference is to the mother of a BJP member who was allegedly thrashed by TMC in February.

Irani rallied a new slogan in opposition to Banerjee's: "Boleche ekhon Nandigram, shobaar mukhe Jai Shree Ram” (meaning: "Nandigram says, 'Jai Shree Ram').

I came to ask Didi that which daughter needs to be voted? Who thrashed an 80-yr-old woman? Who murdered BJP workers? Who doesn't allow Durga idol immersion & Saraswati Puja? Who does Chandi Path when she comes to Nandigram & says Khela Hobe?: Union Min Smriti Irani in Haldia, WB pic.twitter.com/9xnCBclxU3

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2021

On Thursday, Irani lashed out at the Indian National Congress (INC) after a video went viral on social media of party leader Bhupender Singh Hooda sitting on a tractor while women MLAs of Congress pulled the vehicle with ropes. "I understand he wants to make a political statement, protest but should that be done at the cost of women?” she asked.