In sharp contrast to his praise of Mamata Banerjee two months ago, Narendra Modi today accused the West Bengal Chief Minister of playing votebank politics and said only 'fake parivartan' (change) has taken place in the state during TMC rule.
The BJP Prime Ministerial candidate's attack on the Trinamool Congress triggered an angry reaction from the ruling party which said he is a person who has "blood on his hands" and who is trying to divide India on the basis of religion.
"When the government changed in Bengal, I thought there would be development. But nothing has happened. They are only indulging in votebank politics," Modi told an election rally here.
"Unless she criticises Modi, her food does not get digested," Modi said in a sharp attack on Banerjee, who has been hitting out at him in most of her public rallies, terming him communal and also blaming him for the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Modi sang a different tune today since in his earlier speech in Kolkata in February he took a soft stand on Banerjee and had even asked the people to have "Didi in Bengal and BJP in Delhi".
"It's been two years since the new government took charge, but have you seen any parivartan? People have been cheated. If you have a strong and progressive-minded government in Delhi, every small thing will fall in place," he said.
"You have seen fake parivartan, now it's time to see the real parivartan," Modi said.
"Mukyamantriji, aap jitne kichar uchaloge, utna jyada kamal khilega (Madam Chief Minister, the more you indulge in mudslinging, the more will the lotus bloom)," Modi said.
Modi also criticised TMC over the multicrore Saradha chitfund scam, and said "they must be punished.
"Those who have indulged in loot in such a short span of time, what will they do if they get more time and opportunity?," he asked in an indirect reference to allegations of involvement of some TMC leaders in the scam.
Criticising Modi as a person with "blood on his hands", TMC MP and spokesman Derek O'Brien said the Gujarat Chief Minister was daydreaming of becoming the next prime minister but, the people would not allow such a 'nightmare' to happen.
"Narendra Modi is a person who has blood on his hands. He is trying to divide India on the basis of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists. We don't want such an India, we want a united India," he said.
