With just a few days left for the Assembly elections, Union Home minister Amit Shah on Sunday raised political temperature by launching scathing attacks on chief minister and Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee over her “appeasement policies” and said there will be no curb on religious practices if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal.

Addressing an election rally at Egra in East Midnapore, Mr Shah said, “If elected to power, the BJP will ensure that no one imposes any restrictions on religious practices in Bengal.”

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Asserting that BJP does not believe in vote bank politics, Shah reaffirmed the BJP will build Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) over the next five years propelled by the party’s double-engine government at the Centre and the state.”

“Schoolteachers in Bengal were beaten up for organising Saraswati puja. The TMC dispensation does not allow Saraswati puja celebrations in schools. The BJP, after coming to power, will ensure that there is no restriction in organising any religious festival,” Shah stated.

Ending weeks of speculation, disgruntled TMC MP and veteran leader Sisir Adhikari, father of Suvendu Adhikari (Mamata Banerjee’s protégé-turned political foe – who has been pitted against her from Nandigram) joined the BJP at Amit Shah’s rally in Egra. Sharing the dais with Shah, Sisir Adhikari said, “Save Bengal from atrocities. We are with you; our family is with you. Jai Sri Ram, Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”

Welcoming Adhikari, Shah went on speaking over what his party has planned for Bengal if it is voted to power.

He assured the people of West Bengal that the BJP will make the state free of infiltrators. and also warned that the saffron party will take action against the Trinamul Congress for its “wrongdoings”.

“Didi gave the slogan of ‘Maa, maati, manush’ , but did change come? Can she give you freedom from infiltrators? We will make Bengal free of infiltrators in five years.”

Shah added: “Our 130 cadres were killed. Goons of TMC shouldn’t think that they will be spared. We will take action when our government comes to power in West Bengal on 2 May.”

Shah also promised that if BJP is voted to power it will implement seventh Pay Commission recommendation for West Bengal government employees. “We will also increase salaries of the teachers,” he assured.

Meanwhile, Sisir Adhikari, the patriarch of the Adhikari family, which wields considerable influence in East Midnapore district, said he had to work really hard to rise through the ranks in the TMC, but the treatment meted out to him and his sons forced him to switch camp.

“The way our family was driven out (of the TMC) will be forever written in history. We will rise against all political attacks and atrocities in Bengal. We will work under Modiji and Amit Shahji,”Sisir Adhikari said. Earlier in the day, he asserted that his son Suvendu, locked in a fierce battle with Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, will bag the seat at ease.

“Suvendu will win the elections by a huge margin. The TMC will be wiped out of East Midnapore,” he told reporters.