- BJP fields strong candidate in Madhyamgram, held by Trinamool for 20 years
- Amit Shah confident BJP will win difficult seats including Madhyamgram
- Shah says voting occurred without large-scale violence from Trinamool "goons"
The BJP has put up a sincere, strong candidate in West Bengal's Madhyamgram which has been held by the Trinamool Congress for the last 20 years and it is confident of winning from this constituency in North 24 Parganas district, Home Minister Amit Shah told NDTV during a rally in Madhyamgram this evening.
"We will definitely win this time. We will fight in seats seen to be difficult to win," Shah said amid a sea of people, with hundreds shouting slogans supporting the BJP.
The Election Commission said Bengal recorded 91.78 per cent turnout in the first of the two-phase election today; this is the highest-ever percentage since Independence.
Shah said the high turnout means the days of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress are over.
"For the first time, there has been voting without goons. Mamata Banerjee's goons have been left helpless. They were not able to commit large-scale violence. The Election Commission and paramilitary forces have done a very good job. Because of this, the genuine wishes of the people of Bengal will show on counting day," Shah told NDTV.
He denied allegations that the Centre is misusing the paramilitary to put pressure on the ruling Bengal government. "None of their [Trinamool] candidates have made such a complaint. They are not even accepting what Mamata Banerjee has said," Shah said atop a decorated vehicle. He waved at people holding the BJP's election symbol who stood on both sides of the road.
Shah expressed confidence that the BJP will only rise and rise in Bengal. He cited the BJP's performance from just three seats in 2016 to 77 seats in 2021 in Bengal.
"This is not a small thing. Those who ruled for 30 years have reached the level of Congress and Communists. The BJP has become the main opposition party in the state," the home minister said. "This time, the chief minister of Bengal will be from BJP."
Voting in Madhyamgram will be held in the second and last phase on April 29. Counting is on May 4. Voting was held in 152 seats today.
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