As Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a mammoth gathering at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee "dared" him for a one-on-one debate.
A sea of supporters gathered at Kolkata's Brigade Ground Parade for a mega BJP rally which was joined by PM Modi, sharpening party's campaign for the high-octane Bengal assembly polls.
While the prime minister accused CM Mamata Banerjee of backstabbing the people of the state, Didi, who held a roadshow 570 km away in north Bengal, challenged him for a one-on-one debate, saying "Khela hobe", the catchphrase that has taken over the election mood in the state.
"Khela Hobe. You [Modi] decide the date and time. Modi, I challenge for a one-on-one khela. Khela Hobe! Say when you want to play. I dare you to debate with me one-on-one," the TMC supremo said.
She went on to say, "Hum ladenge, hum karenge, hum jeetenge. Modi ko Bharat se hatayenge, BJP ko hatayenge. Jo hum se takrata hai, chur chur ho jata hai! [We will fight, we will do, we will win. We will remove Modi and BJP from India. Whoever messes with us, gets destructed!]"
The Bengal chief minister also said that PM Modi has "come to sell dreams" in Bengal while fuel prices are rising pan-India and "banks are being sold".
Taking a swipe at PM Modi's speeches, Mamata said that the prime minister "always reads out a written script".
"He does not want to connect with Bengal by speaking Bengali but through written scripts. I have tolerated a lot, but this PM lies so much. PM knows nothing and uses transparent teleprompters," Mamata Banerjee said.
Mamata Banerjee led a 'padayatra' in Siliguri on Sunday to protest against the steep hike in the price of LPG cylinders. Accompanied by thousands of supporters, Banerjee set off on the protest march from Darjeeling More around 2 pm.
Mamata Banerjee leading protest in Siliguri against LPG price hike.
Many were seen holding red-coloured cardboard replicas of LPG cylinders at the 'yatra', which was led by Mamata Banerjee and joined by her ministerial colleague Chandrima Bhattacharya, and party MPs Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan.
(With inputs from agencies)