BJP's victory certain in 63-68 seats in first three phases, over 200 in WB: Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah has predicted that BJP will finally come to power in West Bengal this time winning over 200 seats. He also predicted that BJP’s victory is certain in 63-68 seats in the first three phases.

Kolkata (West Bengal): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday touched upon two vital pockets of Singur in Hooghly district and Domjur in Howrah district through road shows.

Speaking to media persons at Domjur, he predicted that the BJP will come to power in West Bengal this time winning over 200 seats. He also said BJP’s victory is certain in 63-68 seats in the first three phases. He promised the development of Singur as an industrial hub.

West Bengal this time is going for an eight-phase poll, among which polling for the first three phases is over. Shah claimed that already in the first three phases, BJP is far ahead of the Trinamool Congress and United Front. Incidentally, the Domjur Assembly constituency is currently under focus, where the BJP has fielded Rajib Bandopadhyay, once a minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet. Bandopadhyay is confident of his victory from Domjur and echoing him Shah said that public sentiment is in favour of Bandopadhyay.

Domjur is going for polls on April 10. Similarly, Singur is also under focus where the BJP has fielded the sitting MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharya, who joined the BJP quitting the TMC just before the polls. In fact, the land movement at Singur played a key role in aiding Mamata Banerjee come to power in the 2011 West Bengal Assembly polls.

Many alleged that because of the land movement spearheaded by Mamata, the possibilities of industrial development in West Bengal had collapsed totally. This particular allegation has been raised by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a recent election rally at Hooghly district.

On Wednesday, Shah echoed him and said the land movement in 2006 ruined all prospects of Singur’s development as an industrial hub. “The BJP will develop Hooghly if it comes to power. A special fund of Rs 500 crore will be allotted for potato plantation as we have mentioned in our manifesto,” Shah said.

It remains to be seen how the voters of Singur and Domjur take these promises.