Hitting out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday said that the people of Bengal want freedom from infiltration and corruption.

Addressing a rally in Kolkata, Shah said, “Before elections, I have toured Bengal. In all corners of Bengal, there is only one call: ‘Change the government, say bye-bye to Mamata Banerjee.’ Today, the people of West Bengal are tired of TMC goons, corruption, infiltration… bomb explosions, youth unemployment… The population of Bengal is demanding parivartan (change) under the leadership of PM Modi.”

According to Shah, once the BJP comes to power in the state, Bengal’s borders would be sealed, and each infiltrator would be identified and removed.

Shah addressed the public at Hazra More under Bhabanipur constituency, where Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is pitted against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“I will stay in West Bengal for 15 days. I will get a lot of time to speak to you all. I have come today for the nomination of four candidates, especially for Suvendu Adhikari,” the home minister said.

Amit Shah Thursday accompanied Adhikari and three other BJP candidates while they filed their nominations in Kolkata’s Survey Building for the Bengal Assembly elections.

Appealing to the voters of the Bhabanipur seat, the Union home minister said, “Entire Bengal is ready to bid farewell to Mamata Banerjee, but the responsibility of bringing change in Bengal lies in your hands. The matter is simple – we will win seat by seat, we will reach 170 seats, and then change will happen, right? But I have a shortcut: if Bhabanipur voters ensure victory in just one seat, then change will happen automatically.”

According to Shah, Adhikari wanted to contest only from Nandigram, but he asked him to contest in Bhabanipur also. “Suvendu wanted to fight from Nandigram, but I told him that we have to go to Mamata Banerjee’s bastion and defeat her there. She will lose in Bengal and Bhabanipur,” Shah said.

The home minister, thereafter, led a massive road show through the two-km stretch from Hazra More to the Survey Building. BJP workers with party flags and saffron-coloured balloons were seen dancing as the decorated truck carrying Shah, Bengal BJP chief Shamik Bhattacharya, Adhikari, and other party candidates wound through the streets.

There was a heated exchange between BJP and TMC supporters as the rally was about to cross a spot close to CM Mamata Banerjee’s residence. Near the area, Shah and the BJP candidates got down from the truck and left for the Survey Building in cars. Meanwhile, the war of words between the supporters of the two parties continued. While BJP supporters raised the ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogan, TMC supporters countered by shouting ‘Jai Bangla’, even as the police stood as a barrier between the two parties to prevent any untoward incident.