Outsiders will have to return after Bengal assembly polls: Abhishek Banerjee

On a day when Union HomeMinister Amit Shah flagged off BJP's Parivartan Yatra in WestBengal, the president of All India Trinamool Youth CongressAbhishek Banerjee Thursday said that all ''outsiders'' will haveto return after the state poll.

Banerjee was speaking at a TMC rally at Pailan inSouth 24 Parganas district, about 70 km away from Kakdwipwhere Shah flagged off the Parivartan Yatra, the fifth andlast Rathayatra by BJP before the poll.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has often referred toBJP leaders from other states as ''outsiders''.

BJP had failed to make any dent in South 24 Parganasdistrict though the party had emerged as the main oppositionin the state after the 2019 Lok Sabha election. It haslaunched an all out war to deseat the 10-year-old MamataBanerjee government in the poll due in April-May.

The rally at Pailan was also addressed by TMC supremoMamata Banerjee.

''Those coming here are not aware of the unique cultureof Bengal but are making promises of making the state SonarBangla (prosperous Bengal). Our leader Mamata Banerjee willscore a hattrick this time and outsiders will have to returnyet again. It is a matter of time,'' said Abhishek Banerjee,who is the nephew of the chief minister.

Mamata Banerjee will seek to be returned to power forthe third consecutive time in the coming poll.

''Why can't they (BJP) make Sonar Uttar Pradesh, SonarRajasthan or a Sonar Haryana. I urge the people of West Bengalnot to fall prey to their false campaign. The people must makesure that communal forces don't raise their ugly heads in thestate'', he said.

Referring to the exodus from TMC, including ministers,Banerjee said that BJP has reached such a state that it waspoaching leaders from the party to fight the state poll.

''We will fight the saffron party tooth and nail. I amsure Trinamool Congress will get not less than 250 seats inthe polls. The fight is to protect Bengal's rich culture,'' heasserted.

West Bengal has a total 294 seats in the assembly.

Referring to the state government's health scheme'Swasthya Sathi', he claimed that nearly ten crore people inthe state have been given the cards to avail benefits underit.

The scheme, which was launched in 2016, was expandedby the TMC government in November 2020 to cover the entirepopulation of the state and has a basic health cover forsecondary and tertiary care up to Rs 5 lakh per annum perfamily. The state government will fund the scheme.

''On the other hand, Ayushman Bharat health scheme (ofthe Centre) is not for all. Those having scooters orsmartphones are not eligible for it. But Swasthya Sathi cardis for all - no exclusions'', the TMC MP said.

Even West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh's familymembers have opted for the Swasthya Sathi card, he claimed.

Banerjee criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi forpromising the people before the 2014 general election thatevery person's bank account will be credited with Rs 15 lakhand assuring two crore employments per year.

''How many jobs have been created in the last sevenyears (since 2014)?'' he asked.