Mamata threatened Shah, it's direct attack on democracy: BJP

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) In a fresh attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the BJP on Friday accused her of threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to the state and termed it a "direct attack" on the country's democracy.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also alleged that a 'jungle raj' was flourishing in the state under the Trinamool Congress' rule.

"It is a very serious matter that a chief minister threatened the home minister of India, saying that he (Shah) cannot even enter West Bengal against her wish. She also said the home minister would not be able to step out of his hotel room if she wished so," Bhatia said.

"It is a direct attack on India's democracy and federal system," he charged "How can Mamata Banerjee threaten Union Home Minister Amit Shah? Does she consider herself above the Constitution? Every inch of land in India equally belongs to every Indian." He alleged that Mamata Banerjee has become synonymous with a collapsed law-and-order situation in the state. "Corruption is her biggest identity... she has lost the right to remain the chief minister of West Bengal," the BJP leader added.

The people of West Bengal have decided to unseat the TMC from power and give their mandate to the BJP in the upcoming state assembly polls, Bhatia claimed.

The BJP spokesperson also took on the Congress and Left parties, alleging that the constituents of the INDIA bloc have become each other's "sworn enemies" in West Bengal.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has alleged that the ruling TMC indulges in "vote-dacoity" during elections in the state, he said, citing media reporters.

"Those who practise communal politics, appeasement politics and dynastic politics formed the 'INDI Alliance'. But today, these very parties have become sworn enemies of each other," he said.

On Wednesday, another BJP national spokesperson, Sambit Patra, accused Banerjee of threatening Shah, who was on a visit to the state, and alleged that she has been running a "dictatorship".

Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneshwar, the BJP MP alleged that the West Bengal chief minister, while addressing a public meeting in Bankura district, threatened Shah by saying that she "allowed" him to step out of the hotel where he was staying in Kolkata. PTI PK PK NSD NSD