Kolkata, Jan 18 : Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha leader Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday slammed the BJP and said a change of government is needed at the Centre. The Diamond Harbour MP's clear message was that it is not Bengal that needs to change, but the 'landlords' of Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has targeted the West Bengal government with a new slogan, 'Change is needed, we need a BJP government'.

Abhishek Banerjee used this statement as a 'weapon' to launch a counter-attack.

Addressing a road show in Nadia district's Chapra area, Banerjee said, "Modi ji says change is needed. In reality, you want to change the people of Bengal. You thought that by withholding Bengal's rightful funds, by starving and harassing the people, you would force them to bow down. So that they surrender to you. But know this, Trinamool Congress or the people of Bengal do not know how to sell their spine. We will not bow down to the landlords or outsiders of Delhi."

At the same time, Banerjee sharply criticised the BJP leaders' desperate attempts to adapt to Bengali culture. He said, "You yourselves have started the change. The leaders who previously came to Bengal and started their speeches only with 'Jai Shri Ram', are now saying 'Jai Ma Kali'. They had to change their slogans. Now just wait and see, after the Assembly polls, PM Modi will also chant the 'Joy Bangla' slogan when he comes to Bengal. In fact, the soil of Bengal is changing you."

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress leader once again raised his voice against central deprivation and misuse of agencies against his party leaders.

He alleged that the central government has subjected the people of Bengal to brutal oppression for the past five years. Leaders have been harassed using the ED and CBI.

"No matter how many agencies you deploy, the people of Bengal will give you a fitting reply. In the upcoming Assembly elections, the people will respond to this deprivation by bringing the BJP down to below 50 seats," he said.

Referring to the 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal, Abhishek Banerjee said: "You couldn't defeat me even by tapping my phone. Bengal has understood what kind of players you are." He added that the fight is no longer against any political party, but a battle between Bengal's rights and Delhi's authoritarianism.

/IANS