Triggering fresh speculations about the UPA government’s existence, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has again predicted the fall of the Congress-led government at the Centre and the Lok Sabha elections within the next six months. She also hinted that her party, Trinamul Congress, would get back the railway ministry.
Ms Banerjee revealed her assumption on Friday at a rally in Bandhghat of Howrah in support of Trinamul Congress candidate Prasun Banerjee for the Howrah Lok Sabha bypoll.
“The election notification for the Howrah bypoll was issued soon after the untimely death of our MP Ambika Banerjee. I was surprised. I thought that the Lok Sabha poll would take place in the next six months as the UPA government would bid adieu by then. But, neither the Congress nor the CPI(M) has the patience to wait till the polls,” she said.
The general elections should be held in the winter, Ms Banerjee observed. Slamming the Congress for the poor progress of the railway projects in the district, she declared, “They (Congress) are going to be removed soon. It will be our men who will then complete the pending railway projects.”
The chief minister said that issues like price-hike, FDI in retail were the reasons behind her party’s exit from the Centre in September last year. “We can discard everything for the mass but not the other way round.” This was her second prediction in the last three months.
In March, the Trinamul Congress chief said, “It is only a matter of two to three months. The Lok Sabha elections are imminent. There is nothing to be afraid about, because the railway ministry will once again come to the Trinamul Congress...” Accusing the Congress of corruption and hobnobbing with the CPI(M), Ms Banerjee alleged, “The Congress often threatens other parties with the CBI probe for its political gains and allows price-hike from time to time. I do not know how much more money the Congress would pocket. It has embarked on a journey of looting the country.”
She continued, “The CPI(M) was allowed to borrow during its regime. But the Centre restricted us from borrowing citing rules.”