Visakhapatnam: In a fiery speech, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an open debate and said she was ready for a political battle against him. She also indicated a role for AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the Capital.
Speaking at a public meeting along with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in support of Mr Naidu, Ms Banerjee said, “Mr Modi can ask me whatever he would like to ask and I shall reply. Similarly, I will ask him whatever I need to ask him and he must reply. There will be no teleprompters. He hasn't even faced the press in all these years.”
The meeting was clearly aimed at the audience and there was not one mention of YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. There were also no translators. The stadium was packed till Ms Banerjee completed her speech. By the time Mr Naidu started speaking, half the crowd had filed out.
“We don’t want Mr Modi as our Prime Minister any more. The BJP need not worry about who our Prime Minister candidate will be as all of us are ruling our states. Either way, we are not going to let the BJP win,” she told a packed crowd at the Municipal Stadium here. “The BJP will win less than 125 seats. It’s time to put the Modi-Shah rule to an end.”
“These elections are definitely special. All candidates have made promises and will continue to do so. For further development of the state, you must vote for Chandrababu Naidu. There are not many leaders in our country who actually fight for the country,” Ms Banerjee told cheering supporters of the Telugu Desam.
“Unfortunately, Mr Modi is the Prime Minister. Although he is threatening leaders across the nation, the future of our nation is ultimately in the hands of the citizens. Mr Naidu may have to work in Delhi in the future. I have not started campaigning in West Bengal yet but have visited Andhra Pradesh. We guarantee to give the state the Special Category Status,” she said.
Mr Kejriwal urged the people to vote for Mr Naidu for the continued development of the state. He said, “The people should use their own judgement and vote for Mr Naidu. He has built a strong foundation for the new state and deserves another chance to develop the state."
Mr Naidu alleged that Mr Modi betrayed the people of Andhra Pradesh. “He has stalled so much development that could have happened in the state.”
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