Mamata having BJP phobia: Amit Shah

Kolkata, April 26 (IANS) Taking a swipe at Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday said she has been suffering from "BJP phobia" and claimed that her constant criticism of his party was indicative of its rise in Bengal.

"Mamata Banerjee is having BJP phobia. She is seeing Bharatiya Janata Party at everything," Shah told reporters here.

Asked about the Trinamool leader's claims that the BJP will lose both the Lok Sabha seats it won in 2014 in the next general election, he said: "People will decide on that. It gives me pleasure that the Trinamool Congress is acknowledging the BJP. They used to attack only the Congress and the Left parties earlier."

"The way Mamatadi is criticising the BJP of late, that is a matter of concern for the Left parties."

He said after the success in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur, the BJP leadership has coined the slogan 'ebar bangla' (this time Bengal), and would reach out across the state with the message.

The BJP remains committed to bringing back the lost glory of the state if it comes to power and would seal the border to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, the BJP chief added.

He advised state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that "she will be better off" if "she listens to people of Bengal" for what they are demanding.

Taking a dig at the Mamata Banerjee-led government, he said the state government has not been taking steps to check the fake currency supply coming through the Bangladesh border.

Responding to a query on the Narada sting case, the BJP National President said: "Trinamool leaders were seen in the video footage taking bribes. The allegation is based on evidence, it is not a statement."

Criticising the "appeasement politics" in the state, he said: "I believe that ruling in Bengal has been communally driven, that is why cases of clashes have increased."

Refuting the Trinamool Congress' allegation that the BJP has been intimidating its leaders, he said: "No one is in touch with the BJP."