Cooking gas cylinder may cost Rs 2,000 if BJP returns to power: Mamata

Jhargram (WB), Feb 29 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that if the BJP returns to power at the Centre, the government would hike the price of cooking gas cylinder to Rs 2,000.

The chief minister was addressing a gathering at a government programme here in Jhargram district.

"If the BJP wins the elections, they may hike the price of a cooking gas cylinder to Rs 1,500 or Rs 2,000. Then again, we will have to go back to the old practice of collecting wood to light a fire," Banerjee said.

She also gave an ultimatum to the BJP-led central government to complete building houses under the Awas Yojana by April-end, claiming that otherwise her government would start constructing them from May.

On Tuesday, Banerjee had set a deadline of April 1 for the central government to complete building houses for the beneficiaries or else her government would build around 11 lakh houses for them.

Referring to her government paying MGNREGA workers their due wages which were allegedly not paid by the BJP-led central government, Banerjee said, "I asked one youth whether he got the money for the 100 days' work scheme. He said he got around Rs 30,000. This was the amount that the central government had not paid people like him for the last two years. We have paid 59 lakh people their dues." The Trinamool Congress supremo, however, remained silent on the arrest of party leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of sexual atrocities on women and land grab in Sandeshkhali area in North 24 Parganas district. Sheikh was arrested early on Thursday. PTI