Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday claimed that 40 legislators of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress were in touch with him and will desert their party once the BJP wins the general elections. He also accused Mamata of nepotism, insisting she wants to politically establish her nephew Abhishek Bandopadhyay in West Bengal. Modi also assailed her over her Prime Ministerial ambitions, saying "Didi, Dilli door hai (Delhi is far away for you).
"Forty Trinamool Congress legislators are in touch with me and all your legislators will desert you once the BJP wins the elections. Political ground has slipped from under your feet," Modi told an election rally in Sreerampur, less than 30km away from Kolkata.Mocking Mamata, West Bengal Chief Minister, for often losing her cool as she was "sensing defeat", Modi said she cannot even dream of becoming the Prime Minister.
"With just a handful of seats, 'Didi' you can't reach Delhi. Delhi is far away. Going to Delhi is just an excuse. Her real intention is to politically establish her nephew," he said. Mamata’s nephew Abhishek is a sitting member of parliament from Diamond Harbour and is contesting again from there.
Lashing out at opposition parties for questioning the credibility of EVMs, Modi said his rivals have moved on from abusing him to criticising EVMs as they face "imminent defeat" in the elections. "Earlier, only Modi was abused, now even EVMs are being abused. The opposition is doing so as it faces imminent defeat," he said.
