A few hours prior the restriction on campaigning came into effect in West Bengal's nine constituencies, PM Modi hit out at CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday evening for criticizing the Election Commission and the central forces deployed to oversee electoral duties in the state.
While addressing a rally in Dum Dum, he said, "Today, Didi is abusing the Election Commission and central forces. But why you are forgetting that the same thing was done to you by CPI (M) and then it was due to the active role played by the EC and central forces that you managed to win against the Left rule in Bengal?"
He then criticised her for her comments labelling BJP leaders in the state as "outsiders" and said that West Bengal is a part of the country and not her personal fiefdom.
"Didi should not forget that if people have come from Bihar and UP then they are contributing towards Bengal's growth. She has problems with their coming but she welcomes infiltrators. Bengal is not the personal fiefdom of Didi and her nephew (TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee)," he said.
During his last public meeting in the state in the ongoing election season, Modi had hit out at several opposition parties for being unable to come to a consensus on their prime ministerial candidate.
"Those who have been raising slogans of 'Modi Hatao' (remove Modi) over the past six months are unable to even chose a PM candidate," he said.
He then added that opposition leaders have now fallen silent as "they have accepted defeat".
Taking a dig at Banerjee's reported aspiration of becoming the next PM, he taunted that she may very well "dream" of it but should not make any comment which will affect the morale of the armed forces.
After Mathurapur, this was the second rally Modi addressed on Thursday after the EC announced all campaigning will be barred in nine of the state's constituencies in the light of the political violence during BJP chief Amit Shah's Kolkata roadshow. Both Dum Dum and Mathurapur were affected by the ban.
At his Mathurapur rally, Modi had asserted that the ruling state government, Trinamool Congress was responsible for the desecration of Vidyasagar's bust