Kolkata, Oct 9 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday that the landslide margins with which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates are heading for victories in the bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar have proved that the people from the minority community in the state will no longer be misled by the “malicious” opposition campaign accusing the BJP of being a communal force.
Although the final results for Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly seats are yet to be declared, the lead margins of the BJP candidates from both constituencies clearly indicate their landslide victories that could increase the party’s tally in the 294-seat Assembly to 209.
“Since the beginning, the opposition parties started a malicious campaign against us that will either send the minority voters to Bangladesh or will not allow them to practice their own religion. Now, in both seats — Nandigram and Rejinagar — this is the first time the BJP candidates have secured a majority of the votes in a number of polling booths overwhelmingly dominated by minority voters. This has proved that the majority of the minority voters have responded positively to our call for development for all. The minority voters in West Bengal, especially the Bengali-speaking Muslims, will no longer be misled by the malicious campaigns by the opposition against us,” CM Adhikari said while addressing the media persons at the state secretariat of Nabanna.
The Chief Minister also said that after witnessing the new state government’s performance in its first five months, minority voters have realised that they have been misled by the opposition.
“Precisely that is why they voted for the BJP without any hesitation in the bypolls both in Nandigram and Rejinagar,” said the Chief Minister.
According to him, the minority women, who have benefited from the Annapurna Yojana, have specially voted for the BJP in the bypolls along with their family members.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister also took a jibe at Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder-cum-legislator, Humayun Kabir.
“What he said against us on social media has been opposed mainly by the people from his own community. They now want to be with the government. As promised earlier, I once again assure the people of Rejinagar that overall development, like the new college, new bridge, upgrading of the hospital there and promotion of industries gradually will be done,” the Chief Minister said.
