Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to the streets of Kolkata today in a massive protest march, cautioning the public against what she termed “propaganda over gas prices.” Leading a sea of supporters from College Square to Dharmatala, the TMC supremo alleged that the recent reduction in LPG prices is a pre-planned political move by the BJP to sway voters ahead of the upcoming elections.

“Do not fall for these provocations,” Mamata urged the crowd at the rally’s conclusion. She described the price drop as an “election lollipop,” mocking the Centre’s sudden concern for the common man’s kitchen budget. She pointed out that for years, the public had suffered under skyrocketing prices, and this eleventh-hour relief is nothing but an eyewash that will vanish once the polls are over.

The rally saw thousands of participants, with women activists carrying symbolic cut-outs of LPG cylinders to highlight the struggle of homemakers. Banerjee also criticized the rising costs of petrol and diesel, asserting that the BJP’s “anti-people” policies would be challenged at every doorstep. By turning the heat on inflation, Mamata has effectively signaled that the cost of living will be a central pillar of the Trinamool Congress’s electoral campaign.