Mamata Banerjee sets tone for Lok Sabha elections

From Aadhaar to central schemes and cow protection, TMC supremo went full throttle at the saffron party at gathering of about half a million at Esplanade

Trinamool Congress' supremo Mamata Banerjee today set the stage for Lok Sabha elections in 2019 from the platform of Martyrs' Day, which happens to be Trinamool Congress' biggest annual public event. 

Banerjee's ambition in playing a pivotal role at the Centre became apparent as she unleashed a tirade against the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

From Aadhaar to central schemes and cow protection, the TMC supremo went full throttle at the saffron party at the gathering of about half a million at Esplanade in the heart of the city.

"The BJP spread canards against us. We will never forget this," Banerjee said and reminded that despite it all the Trinamool Congress had won 211 seats.

"The more you scare us, we will emerge stronger," she said.

Stoking speculation about a Federal Front, Banerjee said that the Centre was destroying the federal structure and interfering in the work of states. "The federal structure must be maintained," she said.

Is that a stepping stone to a federal front? Banerjee clarified on that too. "Many people are asking me whether I want to be Prime Minister. No, I want to stay in my hut. But I will help associate parties in their endeavours, regional parties must be strengthened," she said. There is of course no doubt as to which are these associate/ regional parties. 

Politicians cutting across party lines --Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav-- had attended her swearing-in ceremony just about two months back. Many of them had said that Banerjee could be the Prime Ministerial candidate for a federal front.

Bird's eye view of crowded streets during Shahid Diwas rally of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Esplanade in Kolkata

Banerjee continued, "When the Centre cannot fight us politically they use agencies like the ED and CBI." That, she said, was also the reason why many businessmen were fleeing from India and instead of bringing back the money the Centre was sending 'white money' away.

Targeting central schemes, she said, the Centre does not give funds but claims credit for schemes and projects through advertisements. "We started the Kanyashree Scheme and the central government is linking those banks accounts and calling it Jan Dhan Yojana," she said.

Banerjee said some people were trying to incite communal violence. "Dalits were tortured in Gujarat. Some organisations are trying to incite communal violence in the name of cow protection," she said.

She went on: "I eat vegetarian, someone eats chicken and someone may have cow meat. What is wrong in it?  Who are you to tell people what they should eat? It is a personal choice."

Her comments drew much applause on social media and by the end of the day she was trending on Twitter.

Critics, however, were quick to point out that the comments were made keeping in mind the near-30% Muslim population in West Bengal, a deciding factor in the electoral outcome for the state.