I Am A Hindu Girl Too: Mamata Banerjee At Election Rally In Nandigram

Mamata Banerjee Nandigram: West Bengal Chief Minister at an election rally Tuesday warned the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against playing religious politics with her in the run-up to the state assembly election.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief addressing an audience at Nandigram, the constituency from where she will contest the seat against BJP's Suvendhu Adhikhari later this year, said, "Those who are playing Hindu, Muslim politics must know that I am also a Hindu girl."

"I do Chandipath before stepping out every day. Should I recite?" she asked.

At a Kolkata rally earlier this week, Banerjee had also lashed out at the BJP for raising questions on the state of women's safety in the state. "He is lecturing us on women’s safety. What is the situation of women in BJP-ruled states?" she said in reference to Prime Minister Modi's claims a day prior.

Mamata Banerjee Nandigram Prep Ahead Of Election

Banerjee will file her nomination papers from Nandigram on Wednesday.

Adhikari, TMC turncoat who joined BJP only last year, had thrown an open challenge to 'Didi' for contesting against him in the election on his home turf in Nandigram. It prompted Banerjee to announce in January that she would fight for the Nandigram seat as opposed to her traditional Bhowanipore this time.

“Nandigram is close to my heart. I can forget my name but I cannot forget Nandigram,” she had said.

Batting for her Nandigram link, Banerjee at the rally on Tuesday also hit back at the 'outsider' tag being accorded to her by the opposition. "I heard some people are calling me an outsider in Nandigram. I am amazed. I was born and brought up in the neighbouring Birbhum district, and the person who is calling me an outsider was also not born here," she said.

Banerjee's notable entry into politics, in fact, came to her via Nandigram in 2011, where her political activity led TMC to a landslide victory in the Bengal election, defeating the 34-year-old rule of the Communist party.

Bengal Election Candidate Lists

TMC’s candidate list, released at a press conference, flaunts 50 women, 42 Muslims, 79 SCs and 17 STs. BJP's first candidate list of 57 persons has six women.

The 2021 Bengal assembly election will be conducted in eight phases beginning March 27 till April 29. Poll results will be declared on May 2.