Kolkata, January 22: The Trinamool Congress described BJP chief Amit Shah's speech in West Bengal's Malda on Tuesday as being "low on facts and poor in taste", saying it seemed the saffron party had become nervous and realised its days were numbered. "After listening to the BJP president's speech in Malda, it's obvious that they are very nervous. They know their days are numbered. They are politically-scared. Their speeches are low on facts and poor in taste," TMC spokesperson Derek O'Brien said. "They (BJP) don't understand the ethos of India. They don't understand the ethos of Bengal. They are heading towards one big zero (in WB in the general election)," he said.

"Some are saying they are desperate, some are saying they have gone mad... or is it a combination of both?" the TMC leader asked. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said those who have "blood on their hands" should not lecture others. "Those who have destroyed every institutions in the country should not talk about democracy. Those who have misused (the) CBI to serve their own purpose should not lecture others. They should be rest assured that they are not coming back to power." Amit Shah Denied Permission For Helicopter Landing at Malda Airstrip in West Bengal, Asked to 'Use Hotel Golden Park Ground'.

"Before questioning us, they should answer about their poll promises during 2014 about depositing Rs 15 lakh in every bank account and jobs for youths in the country," the TMC leader added. Reacting to Shah's criticism of the TMC government not giving dearness allowance to state government employees at par with the central counterparts, party secretary general Partha Chatterjee said, "Earlier, state government employees used to receive salaries on the 7-8th of every month. Now, they get it at the first day of every month. We don't print notes that we would give out DA at par with central government employees." Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Amit Shah to Kick-Start BJP’s West Bengal Campaign With Rally in Malda.

The state Congress unit also criticised the BJP chief for his allegation that the grand old party had tried to ensure that people of this country forgets the contribution of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. "The Planning Commission of India was a brainchild of Netaji and what the BJP did after coming to power in 2014 was to replace it with Niti Aayog," state Congress president Somen Mitra said.

Earlier in the day, Shah kick-started the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha poll campaign in the state with a rally in Malda, where he vowed to overthrow the Mamata Banerjee government and said Bengali refugees would be granted citizenship after the citizenship bill was passed.

Mocking the grand alliance of opposition parties, Shah claimed that bringing 20-25 leaders on one stage, by TMC chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata, would not serve any purpose as Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be elected again.