Kolkata: Alleging that the BJP had joined hands with the CPI (M) in the state to influence the framing of the election schedule in a haphazard manner, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said it appeared to her as if the polls were being conducted under Presidents rule. Banerjee was addressing a rally at Yuba Sangha playground. "I will not blame Election Commission (EC). But, it (poll schedule) is the conspiracy of BJP Mondal Commission," said Banerjee. Urging people not to vote for a party whose leaders made false promises, Banerjee said she would not allow Bengal to be taken over by Gujarat or Delhi and get divided. Turning to the outsider jibe again, Banerjee asked how could leaders who could neither speak nor write Bengali, dream of winning Bengal or creating Sonar Bangla. "Bengal had resisted Lord Curzons attempt to divide the state in 1905 and will oppose any attempt to divide Bengal by Gujarat," she added. Banerjee also trained guns at the BJP for resorting to unfair means for winning Bengal polls. "They (BJP) are spending Rs 100 crore. All the hotels are booked. AD, DGs and OCs are being reshuffled before elections. BJP is bringing goons from Uttar Pradesh and other states. The goons are posing as police officers and going to villages to scare away women voters from casting their franchises. They are threatening voters of kidnapping women," Banerjee alleged. She claimed to have met a man in Nandigram, who was not staying at his home after BJP goons allegedly threatened him that his two sisters would be kidnapped. Alleging excesses by the Jawans, Banerjee urged women voters to protest against the Central forces if they attempted to prevent them from casting votes. "The Central forces are making excesses and we have reported the matter to the Election Commission. It is unfortunate that EC has not taken action against them," she said. Taking a dig at Amit Shah, Banerjee said he had predicted that BJP would get 68—70 seats in the first three phases of elections. "I would like to remind him that his predictions had always remained far from reality. In Chhattisgarh, BJP had said it would win 65 seats and finally got 15 seats. In Jharkhand in 2019, BJP had predicted to win 81 seats and finally got 25 seats. In Maharashtra, it predicted to get two-third majority and remained satisfied with one third seats. In Delhi, it predicted to win 70 seats and got only 8 seats. Here, also we (TMC) will do well in the first three phases," she said. Banerjee claimed BJP leaders including Narendra Modi had realised that BJP lost in Bengal and thus "increased their quantum of lies just to pump their workers." She alleged that BJP was spending crores of rupees to bring people to Modis rallies. She also slammed the Prime Minister for not allowing her to buy Covid vaccines. "I had written letters requesting the Centre to allow me to buy Covid vaccines so that I can give the same to people free of cost. But, they didnt allow me to buy the vaccine," she added. Without naming Babul Supriyo—who is BJPs candidate from Tollygunge Assembly constituency—Banerjee said: "As an artist, I have respect for him (Supriyo) but the language he is using cannot be supported. I would like to ask the RSS leaders, why they couldnt find a local leader to contest from the constituency and had to field an outsider." Banerjee mocked Supriyo—who was a BJP MP and Union minister—for fighting state Assembly polls. Banerjee also highlighted her poll promises of coming up with student credit card, holding Duare Sarkar camps, among others.

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