Mamata Banerjee calls BJP a militant organisation

"We are not a militant organisation like the BJP. They are creating fights not only among Christians, Muslims but also among Hindus," Banerjee said at a programme of her party, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Banerjee, a bitter critic of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has often gone on record for her vitriolic against the ruling dispensation on various issues.

Recently, she also came out in support of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal during his sit-in at L-G’s office in the national capital.

Her outburst was in response to West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh's alleged threat to Trinamool workers. Ghosh had reportedly threatened 'encounters' against TMC leaders and workers during a protest in Jalpaiguri earlier this week.

"Every bullet will be made to count. Leaders who indulge in hooliganism in Bengal will soon either be in jail or straight away there will be an encounter," Ghosh had said. The Jalpaiguri Police has booked Ghosh for his controversial statement.

With the Left parties, having experienced a huge slide in their vote bank taking the back seat in state and national politics, the only semblance of threat Banerjee's party faces is from the BJP, which has concentrated on a rapid growth in West Bengal to fill in the vacuum in the opposition.

Results of the recent panchayat election show that the BJP has entrenched itself well in many parts of the state with its vote share steadily going steadily upward. In many areas, the BJP came second to the TMC.