LOP Suvendu Adhikari along with BJP delegation staged a dharna inside the State Election Commissioner’s office demanding re-polling for today’s KMC elections.
Alleging massive rigging during Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari staged a sit-in inside the State Election Commissioner’s office. He demanded re-polling for the KMC elections.
The opposition met West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and urged him to take steps to cancel the civic polls.
Suvendu Adhikari claimed that there were over 100 cases of irregularities during the election, and more than 20 per cent voters could not cast their votes.
“Most of the papers pasted on CCTV cameras and with stickers or their connection points were non-functional… the chief minister is turning the state into a dictator-run republic,” he said.
Sporadic incidents of violence, including bombings at two booths and clashes between political workers, affected the otherwise monotonous polling as 63.63 per cent of the nearly 40.5 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm on Sunday till the end of polling.
High drama was witnessed outside a house in the Salt Lake area where officials were meeting party legislators, Bidhannagar city police cordoned off the entire area and stopped them from going to the Raj Bhavan, where they were told to meet the governor. was given. There is a directive from the State Election Commission that non-residents cannot enter the city on the day of polling.
In a video that surfaced on social media, BJP vice-president Jai Prakash Majumdar was seen arguing with the police officials on what basis they were taking such action.
An officer of the rank of deputy commissioner was heard telling him: “We cannot allow you to go to Kolkata because voting is going on and you are not a resident of the metropolis.”
The officer also alleged that he was assaulted by a junior police officer and the gates of the MLA Hostel in Kolkata were closed till 5 pm, preventing eight BJP MLAs from attending the legislature party meeting.
Later, the Governor said in a tweet: “BJP delegation led by LOP @SuvenduWB urges Governor to void #KMC elections in view of the rampant violence, rigging & action of @KolkataPolice for the ruling party. and take steps to declare void. There has been a demand for a thorough inquiry into the detention of opposition MLAs in the hostels.
“Delegation also demanded probe into LOP @SuvenduWB & virtual house arrest of several MLAs @bidhannagarpc which are reminiscent of Emergency. According to them, ministers & MLAs of ruling party participated freely with support of @KolkataPolice Was.”
A BJP delegation on Sunday evening submitted various footage and documents to the SEC, demanding re-polling. The official said the KMC elections are being monitored by the Calcutta High Court, and the party will also submit footage in support of its claims to the court on December 23.
“I saw her (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) thanking the police for stopping the outsiders. How long will she keep labeling the residents of the state as outsiders,” he said. The Leader of the Opposition added.
(with PTI input)
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