Doubtful BJP will secure 200 seats in LS polls: CM Mamata Banerjee

Bishnupur (West Bengal) [India], May 18 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that it's doubtful whether the BJP will secure 200 out of 543 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing a public meeting in the Bishnupur district on Friday, ahead of the fifth phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on May 20, CM Banerjee said, "There is fear, people are withdrawing money (from the stock market), and the whole world has withdrawn money... It is doubtful whether they will reach 200 out of 543 seats."
Chief Minister Banerjee also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of violating the Model Code of Conduct by telling people to invest in stock before the Lok Sabha election result.
"This time Modi ji is not winning, a few days ago, when the stock market crashed, Amit Shah asked people to invest in shares now or they wouldn't get it later. Who are you to say this? Elections are going on and you are asking people to invest in the stock market. You don't have the right to ask people to invest money in the stock market, you have violated the Model Code of Conduct," she said.
She also called the BJP a thief for stopping MGNREGA and other funds for the state.
"You have stopped giving money to Bengal, that's why you keep saying TMC is a thief, I say the biggest thief is the BJP, your washing machine," she said.
Though still a part of the opposition bloc--INDIA--the TMC opted to go it alone in Bengal. The Congress and the Left Front entered into a seat-sharing pact for the state, as part of which the former is contesting 12 seats while setting aside the remaining 30 for the latter.
Earlier, West Bengal Mamata Banerjee had announced to extend outside support to the INDIA bloc if it forms government at the Centre. The West Bengal CM said that the INDIA bloc was her brainchild and TMC is very much a part of INDIA bloc.
Polling for 18 seats in Bengal was conducted across the first four phases, while the remaining 24 seats will go to the polls in the next three phases on May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
In the fifth phase, polling will be held on May 20 in Bangaon, Barrackpur, Howrah, Uluberia, Srerampur, Hooghly and Arambagh Lok Sabha constituencies. (ANI)