Veteran actor and Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Mithun Chakraborty Friday accused the BJP of trying to cut into the votes of his party to defeat its candidates in West Bengal and said the state will suffer if such a ploy succeeds.
Campaigning for Trinamool candidate from Asansol, Dola Sen, Mithun - in his inimitable style of dialogue delivery - raised the slogan "Har Ghar Didi, Baar Baar Didi" eulogising party chief Mamata Banerjee.
The National Film Award winner spoke partly in Hindi and partly in Bengali at a largely attended public meeting in Kulti under Asansol sub-division of Burdwan district, as he mocked the prospects of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has fielded Bollywood crooner Babul Supriyo from the seat.
"What kind of politics is cross-voting? The motive behind this attempt to cut into the (Trinamool) votes is to defeat Trinamool anyhow," he said to thunderous applause as he shared the dais with Banerjee.
"But will this help Bengal? So why are you putting so much effort in cutting into (Trinamool) votes?
"You are the most powerful as you have the right to vote. So why is your right being mocked? So why are people wrongly advising you to indulge in cross-voting and defeat Trinamool? You should first think about what benefit Bengal will have."
Urging people not to fall into the trap, Mithun pointed out the "scales are in favour in Trinamool".
He refered to a recent opinion poll done by an electronic channel and said as per its predictions, the Trinamool will bag 28 of the state's 42 seats, with the Left Front getting ten, the Congress three and the BJP 1.
"But tell me which seat will the BJP win? I am not belittling anyone. Why will you waste the votes? What good will you (BJP) do for the state with just one seat?
"The scales are in favour of Trinamool. If you can increase its seats from 28 to 38 then Bengal's voice will heard faster," he said.
Asserting that he understands the nuances of politics, Mithun said: "The government in Delhi is a game of numbers. If Bengal has to get its due, we have to send majority of Trinamool MPs from Bengal."
He exhorted the people to "think carefully and not let the votes go to waste".
Responding to a demand from the masses, Mithun parodied a famous dialogue from one of his Bengali films.
"Tipbo botam ekhane sorkar godbo okhane (Will press the button here and will elect government there in Delhi). Our slogan here is not 'Har Ghar Modi', it is 'Har Ghar Didi baar baar Didi'," he said while vouching to fight "shoulder-to-shoulder" with Banerjee.
