New Delhi: Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, got a major snub on Sunday after the Election Commission rejected all her ‘hand written’ charges of poll-related issues at Nandigram on the polling day on April 1.
“…..the allegations mentioned in your hand-written note are factually incorrect, without any empirical evidence whatsoever and devoid of substance,” said a letter from Umesh Sinha, Secretary-General of Election Commission.
The poll panel said, “In fact, it is a matter of deep regret that a media narrative was sought to be weaved hour after hour to misguide the biggest stakeholders which is the voters by a candidate who also happens to be honourable Chief Minister of the state”.
It further said, “At least, this should have been appreciated that the sideshow was fraught with immense potential to have adverse impact on law and order across West Bengal and maybe some other states. And all this was being done when the election process was/is on”.
West Bengal has already witnessed two phases of polls and waiting for the next six rounds.
The Commission also said since the declaration of elections to four states including West Bengal and UT of Puducherry, both Mamata and her party have been constantly raising issues including on EVM tampering and those have been already responded by the poll panel.
The EC missive comes in response to Mamata’s ‘hand written’ complaint on April 1 (polling day at Nandigram) that her polling agents could not discharge their duties on a crucial day.
In fact, as many as 27 polling agents of Mamata’s party did the ‘vanishing act’ on April 1 at Nandigram where Trinamool Congress supremo herself was locked in perhaps the worst election of her life.
Trying to draw a political mileage, Mamata Banerjee had stationed herself at a polling booth for about two hours – which political rivals have already said ‘violation’ of the code of conduct during elections.
The Chief Minster had also dialled Governor Jagdeep Dhankar and sought his intervention.
BJP spokesman Gaurav Bhatia said Mamata’s conduct was a fit case to be ‘condemned’ that an incumbent Chief Minister has tried to showing disrespect to the Election Commission of India.
Trinamool is indulging in “dirty politics” and it only that their party chief is “nervous”.
Another BJP leader, Sunil Deodhar tweeted: “Mamata Didi, your lies have been called out by the Election Commission of India. Just because you sense your imminent defeat in Nandigram & Bengal, you think you can get away by blaming Central forces & ECI? What next, blaming the people of Bengal too?”
BJP West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh said, “Trinamool has admitted its electoral defeat both across the state and in Nandigram. Elections from Trinamool side is now only a matter of formality”.
Exuding confidence of BJP win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an election rally at Tarekehswar in Hooghly district on Saturday: “If the BJP comes to power in Bengal, I shall come for the oath taking ceremony and ask the Chief Minister to give approval to the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi at the first cabinet meeting”.
