New Delhi, BJP made a no-holds-barred on Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday after its party president Amit Shah’s roadshows were attacked in Kolkata. ‘If Mamata Banerjee thinks that violence will help her win elections, I want to tell her – Didi, you may be senior to me in age but I have more experience. I want to advise you on elections – more ‘kichad (mud) of violence’ you spread, more Lotus will bloom,’ said Mr Shah addressing a press conference here. He made very clear that it was not violence but an ‘attack’ on him and his party workers. He was save because of the presence of CRPF personnel, Mr Shah said. Mr Shah also alleged that the state Election Commission was being a mute spectator to the attempts to rig the election in West Bengal. ‘The state Election Commission is being a mute spectator to the attempts to rig the election in West Bengal. History sheeters weren’t arrested in even one place in the state. Why such double standards?’ he asked. The BJP president, flanked by Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Prakash Javadekar, said no state has witnessed violence in all six poll phases apart from West Bengal.

‘I’d like to tell Mamata Banerjee – you’re only contesting in 42 seats, BJP is contesting pan-India. If BJP was violent wouldn’t there be clashes in elsewhere?’ Mr Shah also presented visual evidence to buttress his allegation that it wasn’t his party’s cadre that triggered the violence and accused Trinamool Congress of destroying of 19th century reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s bust in an attempt to gain sympathy. ‘If you want to send a message that by filing a FIR against me the BJP karyakartas will become fearful, then I want to tell you that, on the contrary, they and the people of West Bengal will make efforts with renewed vigour to remove you,’ Mr Shah said. He said he had travelled the country and in the fifth and sixth phases, the BJP has by itself passed the majority mark and after the seventh phase, the BJP is going to cross the 300-seat mark, he said exuding confidence. Violence marred Mr Shah’s mega road show in Kolkata on Tuesday as clashes broke out between the saffron party workers and students of the Calcutta University and Vidyasagar College after the latter protested the rally. Ugly scenes were witnessed as furious BJP supporters confronted the agitating students and even threw stones and bottles at the University gates. Reports said clashes broke out after sticks were hurled at Amit Shah’s truck and stones were pelted at Amit Shah’s convoy from a college hostel on Bidhan Sarani. Three bikes were torched in front of Vidyasagar College hostel.