BJP promises separate state, welfare schemes ahead of polls to befool people: Mamata

In an apparent dig at the BJP-led central government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the common people are fooled by promises like creation of separate states and various welfare schemes ahead of elections, but those never materialise later.Banerjee, without taking the name of the saffron party, also said people have been suffering due to the daily price rise of essential commodities.Today, have you seen how much gas prices have been hiked

In an apparent dig at the BJP-led central government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the common people are fooled by promises like creation of separate states and various welfare schemes ahead of elections, but those never materialise later.

Banerjee, without taking the name of the saffron party, also said people have been suffering due to the “daily price rise” of essential commodities.

''Today, have you seen how much gas prices have been hiked? Where is the ‘Ujjawala’ scheme? It has vanished in thin air. Again when the elections will be around, they will promise you to create a separate state, another 'Ujjawala' scheme or purchase of tea gardens.

“They talk big before the elections. And look what is happening now, the present state of the country and how price rise is affecting the common people,'' Banerjee said at a mass marriage programme here.

The chief minister also criticised the Union government for not releasing funds for welfare schemes and “stopping” the supply of wheat to states.

''I can say that had we not provided 5 kg of rice, many families would not have anything to eat. We are giving this free of cost so that people live happily,'' she said.

The chief minister also hinted, without elaborating, that the state government’s health insurance scheme ‘Swasthya Sathi’ will be amended.

At the mass marriage programme organised by the administration of Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts, around 510 tribal couples got married.

Banerjee who is on a two-day tour to the northern districts of West Bengal returned to Kolkata this evening.