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In a blistering critique of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), BJP MP and star campaigner Manoj Tiwari has declared that the era of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is coming to a close.
Speaking at a rally in Hooghly on Saturday, Tiwari focused on the dual themes of women's empowerment and the health of the poor, positioning the BJP as the only alternative for the state's security and progress. Tiwari centred his address on the BJP's core electoral promises, contrasting them with the current state of governance in Bengal. He particularly highlighted the need for central healthcare schemes that have faced implementation hurdles in the state. Tiwari emphasised that the underprivileged in Bengal deserve free medical treatment worth Rs 5 lakh, a reference to the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which he claimed the TMC has denied them. In a direct attack on the TMC's record, the BJP MP alleged that the party has "sided with rapists," asserting that the women of West Bengal are desperately in need of genuine empowerment and safety. "The women of West Bengal need empowerment. The poor need free treatment worth Rs 5 lakh. TMC has sided with the rapists," he told ANI. Tiwari pitched the "Double Engine" government--having the same party in power at both the Centre and the State, as the definitive solution to Bengal's developmental stagnation. "Now the time for Mamata and TMC is over. The people of Bengal have decided. We will show what true development looks like with the double-engine government," said Manoj Tiwari. His visit comes just days before the second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, scheduled for April 29, with the counting of votes set for May 4. With Hooghly being a key battleground, Tiwari's campaign is part of a final, high-intensity push by the BJP leadership. Following a record-breaking turnout in the first phase on April 23, the party is looking to consolidate its momentum in the industrial and agricultural belts of South Bengal. The polling for Phase I of the Assembly elections concluded at 6 pm on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a significantly higher voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India. As the state moves toward the final polling day this Wednesday, the rhetoric from the BJP camp suggests they are banking on a wave of anti-incumbency fueled by issues of corruption and security. (ANI)
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