West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the Bharatiya Janata Party might increase the cost of cooking gas cylinders up to Rs 1,500-2,000 if it returned to power at the Centre in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a gathering in Bengal's Jhargram district on Thursday, the Trinamool Congress chief claimed the party would force the masses to return to collecting wood for fire.

"We distributed rice free of cost... If they (BJP) win again, the gas price can be increased up to Rs 1,500-2,000. You have to collect cow dung and wood again for the cooking. This is the scenario in Delhi. They don't love West Bengal and tribal people," Banerjee said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Banerjee warned that central teams sent by the Union government are trying to stoke communal tension in the state.

"The central government has sent around 450 teams, till now, to Bengal. They are the ones who are trying to stoke communal tensions in Bengal. We have to stand united against them," Banerjee said.

The chief minister hit out at the central government for blocking the disbursement of funds to the state.

Banerjee further said that just like the state government is providing beneficiaries with MGNREGA funds, it will do so for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana as well if the Centre does not release funds for it by April 1.  -- ANI