‘Big Fat Zero…’: BJP Hits Back At Mamata Banerjee Over Her ‘Nostalgia’ On Kolkata Metro Projects | Politics News

Last Updated:August 22, 2025, 17:20 IST

The BJP soon responded to Chief Minister with party leader Suvendu Adhikari calling her post a “desperate attempt to steal credit for projects that languished under your watch.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee | File Image: PTI

A political slugfest broke out between the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the development of three new Kolkata metro routes, which are set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

CM Mamata Banerjee’s Nostalgia

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who has decided to skip the inauguration event, recounted how, as the railways minister, she was “fortunate” to plan a series of metro rail corridors in Kolkata.

In a nostalgia-loaded post, Banerjee, who held the railway portfolio twice – first in the NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee between 1999 and 2001, and again during the Congress-led UPA-2 from 2009 to 2011 –asserted that the projects were planned and sanctioned during her second term as railway minister.

She further said that she had drawn the blueprints, arranged the funds, initiated the works, and ensured that the different ends of the city ( Joka, Garia, Airport, Sector V, etc) were connected by an intra-city Metro grid.

“Allow me to be a little nostalgic today. As the Railways Minister of India, I was fortunate in planning and sanctioning series of Metro Railway corridors in metropolitan Kolkata. I had drawn the blueprints, arranged the funds, initiated the works and ensured that the different ends of the city ( Joka, Garia, Airport, Sector V, etc) were connected by an intra- city Metro grid,” she said in a post on X.

Reflecting on her tenure as Chief Minister, Banerjee highlighted her key role in ensuring the execution of these projects by providing free land, building approach roads, rehabilitating displaced families, and removing administrative hurdles.

“Later, as the chief minister of West Bengal, I had the additional privilege of taking part in execution of the projects. From the State, I arranged free land, paved roads, arranged rehabilitation of displaced people, removed impediments, and ensured all help in the execution of projects. Our chief secretaries successively held series of coordination meeting to ensure integration of execution agencies. My planning as Railways minister got fulfilment in my participation in execution,” she added.

She ended her post saying, “Expanding Metro infrastructure has been a long journey for me. Allow me some nostalgia today.”

BJP Hits Back At Mamata Banerjee

The BJP soon responded to the Chief Minister with party leader Suvendu Adhikari calling her post a “desperate attempt to steal credit for projects that languished under your watch.”

The Bengal Assembly Leader of Opposition said that while while she might have created the initial plans as Railways Minister during the UPA era, but the projects stalled due to her inefficiencies and a lack of cooperation after becoming the Chief Minister.

“Your “nostalgia” is nothing but a desperate attempt to steal credit for projects that languished under your watch. As Railways Minister in the corrupt UPA era, you may have got some blueprints sketched, but they collected dust for years due to the UPA Government’s infamous delays, and the non cooperation of the WB Govt since you became Chief Minister. Land acquisition failures, and outright non-cooperation by your Administration have plagued the timely execution of these projects,” he said in a post on X.

“Your contribution? A big fat zero. You have suddenly woke up from your slumber, realizing that today onwards Kolkata is going to witness World Class Metro Connectivity, which will be compatible with the Kolkata Circular Railway and enhance connectivity & convenience of the commuters trying to reach the Airport and the major Railway Stations. Bengal deserves better than your false claims, Bengal deserves Modi’s vision and action,” he added.

BJP leader Amit Malviya also took a dig at TMC supremo saying that for a Chief Minister to indulge in nostalgia on the day of inauguration is laughable

“For a sitting Chief Minister of 15 years to indulge in nostalgia on the very day Prime Minister Modi is in Kolkata to inaugurate critical sections of the Metro is laughable. Had she truly cared, these projects would have been delivered much earlier. Instead, her administration ensured years of delay. And now, instead of apologising to the people of Kolkata for lost time and lost opportunities, she is busy seeking credit and wallowing in self-appreciation. The people of Bengal know the truth,” he said in a post on X.

Kolkata Metro Expansion

PM Modi will unveil Rs 5,200-crore worth infrastructure projects, including three crucial metro stretches, and address a public rally in Kolkata on Friday.

He will inaugurate a 13.61 km-long metro network in Kolkata, marking the first time in 41 years that the city’s metro services will directly connect the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport with the rest of the city.

The three new stretches include Sealdah to Esplanade (Green Line, 2.6 km), Noapara to Jai Hind Bimanbandar (Yellow Line, 6.77 km), and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay to Beleghata (Orange Line, 4.39 km).

He will also lay the foundation of 7.2-km elevated Kona Expressway worth over Rs 1,200 crore, which is expected to enhance connectivity between Howrah and Kolkata.

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More

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