BJP and TMC spar over Mamata's 'Chalo Dilli' remark | Capital Beat

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has triggered a sharp political battle after declaring that once she secures victory in Bengal, she will shift her focus to Delhi and work to “completely dismantle” the BJP at the Centre.

The remark, made during a rally in Kolkata’s Chowringhee area ahead of the second phase of polling on April 29, drew an immediate response from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who mocked the statement saying, “There is nothing left for her in Bengal. How will she come to Delhi?”

In this episode of Capital Beat, The Federal spoke to Charles Nandi, BJP spokesperson from West Bengal, and Shubhankar Bhattacharya, TMC spokesperson, on whether Mamata's statement signals confidence or political desperation as Bengal heads into the second phase of assembly elections.

Mamata's Delhi threat

At the rally, Mamata said she would not seek the “seat of power” in Delhi but wanted the BJP removed from the Centre by bringing all opposition parties together.

“Remember this, you cannot defeat us. We fight against injustice. I was born in Bengal and I shall breathe my last in this very Bengal. I will take over Delhi once I have secured victory in Bengal,” she said.

Also Read: Mamata vows to 'take over Delhi' after Bengal win; Amit Shah is amused

She added that while BJP’s “destruction in Bengal is inevitable", the party must also be ousted from Delhi.

The timing of the remark, just before the second phase of polling, has made it politically significant, with the BJP calling it proof that Mamata is already looking beyond Bengal because she senses defeat.

'Daydreaming', says BJP

Charles Nandi dismissed Mamata's statement as “daydreaming” and echoed Amit Shah’s sharp response.

“Mamata Banerjee’s days are numbered. West Bengal has already decided that Mamata Banerjee will become former chief minister from May 4. The countdown has begun,” he said.

Nandi claimed Mamata had already accepted defeat by hinting in a recent rally that she would return “if” she wins.

“She is contesting from Bhabanipur and she is going to lose. West Bengal has decided to delete Mamata Banerjee from its mind,” he said.

Also Read: Amit Shah predicts BJP win in Bengal, says high turnout signals Mamata’s exit

He also argued that even Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had indirectly strengthened BJP’s case by attacking Mamata over corruption, unemployment, recruitment scams, and appeasement politics.

“Rahul Gandhi repeatedly said because of corruption, coal smuggling, cow smuggling, crimes against women, and no industry, Mamata Banerjee failed Bengal. I think Rahul Gandhi is campaigning for BJP indirectly,” Nandi said.

'BJP relying on institutions': TMC

TMC spokesperson Shubhankar Bhattacharya strongly rejected BJP’s claim that Mamata's statement reflected desperation.

He argued that Bengal was witnessing one of the strongest democratic voting traditions in the country and accused the BJP of relying on institutions rather than public support.

“The entire system has been designed like that. They think agencies and institutions will deliver results. Bengal breaks its own voting records every time,” he said.

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Bhattacharya also accused the BJP of reducing the voter rolls and manipulating the electoral process while claiming to be confident about victory.

“You cut 10 per cent of voters and then celebrate turnout. Talk some sense. Bengal votes heavily, especially women voters. This is not new,” he said.

He insisted that the BJP had failed to offer any development vision for Bengal and was fighting only through criticism of the opposition.

'Opposition needs Mamata's leadership'

Bhattacharya said Mamata's larger point was about building a united opposition front nationally, especially after what he described as the weakening of the Congress as the central opposition force.

“The Congress lost its space the moment it failed to act like one opposition and failed to unite all opposition parties. A united opposition front needs solid leadership like Mamata Banerjee, who can fight the BJP tooth and nail,” he said.

He argued that the INDIA bloc required stronger leadership and claimed that Mamata had emerged as a natural force capable of challenging the BJP nationally.

At the same time, he clarified that the TMC does not believe in the supremacy of a single party and remains committed to democratic resistance against what he called BJP’s “undemocratic” politics.

ECI, CEC controversy

A major flashpoint in the debate was the role played by the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Bhattacharya accused the Election Commission of acting in favour of the BJP and alleged that democratic rights were being undermined.

“The Election Commission has become so proactive that it has left all boundaries. They are just delivering something to their own lords sitting in Delhi,” he said.

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He also referred to allegations around deleted voters, and repeated his charge that legitimate voters had been denied their rights.

Nandi, however, cited the Supreme Court’s praise for the Election Commission, and pointed to the record voter turnout figures in Bengal and Tamil Nadu. CEC Gyanesh Kumar had said both states recorded their highest-ever turnout since Independence during Phase 1 polling .

“The Supreme Court praised the Election Commission for ensuring free and fair elections and said democracy is strengthened because citizens actively exercise their right to vote,” Nandi said.

May 4 verdict

Nandi said the election was no longer between the BJP and Mamata Banerjee but between “janata and Mamata", insisting that the voters had already decided to remove her.

Also Read: Bengal poll is peak drama: Mamata's welfarism, BJP's UCC promise, 91 lakh voters missing

Bhattacharya dismissed that confidence as recycled rhetoric from previous elections.

“In 2021 also they said ‘Didi is gone'. In 2024 also, the same claims were made. Say something new. Tell Bengal what development package you gave,” he said.

With the second phase of polling still ahead and the results due on May 4, the political contest remains sharply polarised. Whether Mamata's Delhi ambition reflects confidence or contingency will now be tested at the ballot box.

(The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)