UP Govt ad boasts development using Kolkata flyover; TMC takes dig at CM Yogi

The Trinamool Congress on Sunday ridiculed the Uttar Pradesh government for using a purported image of a Kolkata flyover in a full-page newspaper advertisement showcasing the achievements of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Taking a dig at the UP government, the TMC sarcastically complimented CM Yogi for "acknowledging the great work" done by his Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee.

The advertisement titled 'Transforming UP under Yogi Adityanath' displayed an image of a flyover painted in blue-and-white colours synonymous with the TMC government along with high-rises and industries juxtaposed below a large photograph of the UP chief minister.

The advertisement features Kolkata's iconic yellow taxi on the flyover and a star hotel beside it, according to several Twitter users.

"This is a blunder. The only positive part of it is that they (BJP) are acknowledging the great work done by the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal," said TMC spokesperson Dereck O'Brien at a press conference, adding, "Imitation is the best form of flattery."

He claimed that the Bengal government has fared better than the Yogi Adityanath administration in several key sectors such as money spent on construction and length of rural roads, 100-day work scheme, crimes against SC people, and the number of hospital beds. O'Brien provided data on those sectors and said these can be used for the Yogi government to release more advertisements.

Other TMC MPs such as Abhishek Banerjee, Mahua Moitra, and Firhad Hakim also criticized the BJP over the episode, claiming that the party has indirectly accepted the "development spree" under the Mamata Banerjee government and even tried to appropriate it.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee tweeted: "Transforming UP for CM Yogi means stealing images from infrastructure seen in Bengal and using them as his own! Looks like the 'DOUBLE ENGINE MODEL' has MISERABLY FAILED in BJP's strongest state and now stands EXPOSED for all!" 

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh also took a dig at the Yogi Adityanath saying that he never such a development where a Chief Minister could bring the Kolkata flyover to Lucknow.

BJP attempts face-saver

The West Bengal BJP attempted a face-saver on the goof-up by saying that even if the advertisement did showcase the Maa flyover, the Bengal government has no other infrastructural development to flaunt.

"Several expressways have been built under the Adityanath government in UP. In comparison, West Bengal has witnessed several flyover collapses in the last few years," West Bengal BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu said.

Even if it is indeed the image of Maa flyover, it was nothing but a mistake and does not take away Adityanath's credit for accelerating UP's growth, he added.

(With inputs from agency)