March 18, 2021: Challenging Mamata Banerjee's 'Khela Hobe' slogan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday promised jobs, development and education in the poll-bound state of West Bengal.

Addressing a public meeting in West Bengal's Purulia ahead of the state assembly elections, PM Modi said, "Didi bole khela hobe, BJP bole chaakri hobe. Didi bole khela hobe, BJP bole vikas hobe. Didi bole khela hobe, BJP bole shiksha hobe. Khela shesh hobe, vikas aarambh hobe."

"First, the Left government and then the TMC government didn't let industries develop here. The kind of work that should've been done for irrigation, didn't take place. I know the problems faced in rearing livestock due to less water. TMC govt was busy in its 'khel' by leaving farming on their own," he added.

He further questioned, "Didi, year after year, you haven't been able to build even one Setu, and now you're talking about industry and development?"

PM Modi assured people that after the formation of the BJP government, the development will take place in West Bengal which will make the life of the people easy and their problems will be dealt with on priority.

"After the formation of the BJP government in Bengal, your problems will be removed on a priority basis. When a double engine government will be formed in Bengal, there will be development here and your life will also become easier," he added.

The Prime Minister accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of depriving the people of Purulia of water and giving them migration and discriminatory governance due to which the region is identified as one of the most backward areas of the country.

"The TMC government is just playing its game. These people have given Purulia a life riddled with the water crisis. They have given Purulia, migration. They have given the poor of Purulia, discriminatory governance. They have given Purulia an identity of being one of the most backward areas of the country," the Prime Minister said.

Terming Purulia as "the land that is a witness to Lord Ram and Goddess Sita's exile", the Prime Minister stated that it is an irony that the land that once quenched the thirst of Goddess Sita now faces a water crisis.

"This land is a witness to Lord Ram and Goddess Sita's exile. This land has Sitakund. It is also said that when goddess Sita was thirsty, Lord Ram got water from the ground by hitting it with an arrow. It is an irony that Purulia faces a water crisis today. Today, the water crisis is a big problem in Purulia. The farmers and tribal-forest dwellers here do not even get enough water to cultivate properly. The women here have to go far to fetch drinking water," he said.

PM Modi also said that the BJP established pipelines and built ponds to tackle the water crisis in BJP governed states.

A similar water crisis was there in other places in the country. Wherever the BJP got a chance to serve, hundreds of kilometres of pipeline was laid, ponds were built. Now the water crisis is going away. The farmers there have started growing different crops.

He further alleged that the TMC government did not do any work to develop infrastructure for irrigation and was "busy in its 'khel' leaving farmers on their own".

Elections to the 294-member state Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.