West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday courted controversy by levelling allegations of corruption against several Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. While addressing a programme in Kolkata, Ghosh claimed that many leaders belonging to the ruling TMC party have “illegal” sources of income. "The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will trace the illegal money and assets. And those TMC leaders will spend rest of their lives in prison," the BJP leader said.
Reacting to Ghosh's comment, senior TMC MP Sougata Roy said, such statements only prove how the BJP uses central agencies like the ED and the CBI to pursue its political goals. "The ED and the CBI have been looking after several cases in Bengal for the last so many years. But till date, nothing has happened. Dilip Ghosh should stop making such laughable comments to energise party cadres," Roy said.
Referring to the state assembly polls due in April-May next year, the BJP leader said, everyone will be able to exercise his/her vote freely as central paramilitary forces will ensure free and fair election. "I want to assure you all that the central government is with you. The Central forces will ensure free and fair assembly election in the state. People will be able to exercise their democratic right without any fear. State police personnel will not be allowed near the polling booths," Ghosh had said earlier.
Alleging that a section of TMC workers are still "attacking and terrorising" BJP workers he said, the "days of the TMC government are numbered".
Speaking on the poll strategy of the BJP for the assembly polls, Ghosh said, "the party will have a special focus on social media campaign, and that is why Amit Malviya, who is the BJP's IT cell chief, has been deputed as the co-in charge of the state."
Ghosh also refused to attach much importance to the Congress-CPI(M) alliance in the state and said, both the parties have already been rejected twice, in the 2016 assembly polls and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.