Nagrakata, West Bengal:

Senior TMC leader and MP, Abhishek Banerjee, on Saturday criticised the BJP’s slogan of “double engine government” (same party rule in centre as well as state) in poll-bound West Bengal, alleging that the BJP wants this mechanism to misappropriate public money.

The slogan also proved that the BJP-led government at the centre has not been helping West Bengal as the party is not in power in the state, claimed Ms Banerjee, also the president of the Trinamool Congress youth wing.

BJP leaders are harping on the “double engine government” saying it will spur growth and development in West Bengal where the assembly election is likely to be held in April-May.

The BJP is trying to bribe voters by promising them money under the PM Kisan Scheme, the Diamond Harbour MP, who is also the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleged.

“The BJP is saying that they want a double engine government in the state. Why do they want a double engine government in the state? So that they can siphon off public money and go scot-free,” he said while addressing a rally at Nagrakata in North Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district.

“They (the centre) did not do anything for Bengal as there was no double engine government in West Bengal. This is the character of the BJP government. They don’t do anything for non-BJP ruled states,” he said.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, they had promised to give Rs 15 lakh to every citizen but people did not get a single paisa in the last seven years, Mr Banerjee said.

“Now they are trying to bribe the people of the state, the farmers, by saying that if they come to power, Rs 18,000 will be given to them. This is just another attempt to fool the masses,” he said.

The BJP has been saying that if voted to power in the state, it will ensure that each farmer of the state gets Rs 18,000 in arrears under the PM-KISAN scheme.

Referring to the TMCs newly launched poll slogan — ”Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chaye” (Bengal wants its own daughter), portraying Mamata Banerjee as the daughter of Bengal, he said, “We will never bow our heads before people sitting in Delhi. The people of Bengal will have faith in their daughter Mamata Banerjee,” he said.

On the party”s “Jai Bangla” poll cry which the BJP says is a slogan used in Bangladesh, the youth leader said that if it was so, from where the saffron party leaders got the “Sonar Bangla” (golden Bengal) slogan. He reminded the people that the national anthem of Bangladesh is “Amar Sonar Bangla”.

BJP leaders frequently say they want to make “Sonar Bangla” after ousting the TMC government from the state in the assembly election.