The chances of Narendra Modi’s return to power are slim and the saffron party will get around 200 seats in the ongoing general election, Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee said today. She was addressing a rally in Burrabazar in support of the party’s nominee, threetime MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay. BJP has fielded Tapas Roy, who left Trinamul and joined the saffron brigade while Congress has fielded veteran leader Pradip Bhattacharya. Miss Banerjee urged the people not to vote for the BJP as it has failed to give employment to the youth and control spiralling price rise. “Modi will come and tell so many lies but he never speaks on unemployment.

IIT graduates have failed to get jobs. Unemployment is at an all time high. Modi is not concerned at all he will come and speak volumes of lies. I have never seen a Prime Minister telling such lies. He has failed to keep promises and now is talking about guarantees. Rest assured these are all lies. He comes to disturb peace in Bengal. Here people from different communities and faith live peacefully and happily. This is our culture and tradition. We respect all religions and go to attend the religious festivals of every religion. I personally go to temples, mosques and churches. We believe that religion is personal but festivals are universal. BJP does not believe this and lets loose one community against the other.” Miss Banerjee assured the cyclone-hit people that the state government would take care and those whose houses have been either fully or partly damaged will be built or repaired. Crops have been damaged.

“From yesterday evening I have been monitoring the relief work and kept constant touch with the disaster management department.” She said the ECI “has deliberately made seven phase election so that Modi could go to different places to do campaign. His election is scheduled on the last day,” she said adding, “in Bengal seven phase election has been deliberately done just to keep pressure on the government. If in Tamil Nadu which has 40 Lok Sabha seats, an election could be held in a day then why not in Bengal?”she asked. She said BJP has conspired with Congress and CPM to defeat Sudip Banerjee. “A media close to the BJP has distorted my speech and circulated it. In many areas fake videos against Sudip Banerjee have been shown to woo the voters. Please do not misunderstand me. If you do not like me, it’s fine, but do not form any opinion against me on the basis of fake news.” She urged people to vote for Banerjee to form a strong, sensible and secular government at the Centre. “Vote for Trinamul as it would be a powerful component in the INDIA bloc.” Miss Banerjee later took part in a roadshow in favour of Sudip Banerjee.