Mamata Banerjee alleges vote rigging

Kolkata : Amid the dispute over the Trinamool Congress’s election symbol and party name in West Bengal, the Election Commission took a significant decision. On Friday, the Commission allotted separate names and election symbols to the two factions of the TMC. The faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been assigned the ‘Football Player’ election symbol and the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’. Reacting to this, Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party. She stated that while her party does not disrespect constitutional offices, today marks a black day in the country’s democratic history.

Speaking for the first time following the Election Commission’s order, Mamata Banerjee remarked that the BJP has hijacked the party she formed after breaking away from the Congress in 1998. Mamata described the move as an act of blatant political partisanship and vendetta. She claimed that even after the deletion of 9.2 million (92 lakh) votes and the hijacking of EVMs, the margin remained only 3.2 million (32 lakh) votes. She asserted that the BJP could never destroy her party.

Addressing a press briefing, Mamata Banerjee said, “What is happening in the country is extremely unfortunate, unconstitutional, illegal, and undemocratic. This is a partisan act of vendetta carried out to satisfy the arrogance of a political party.” Mamata noted that it had been predicted earlier that they would be allowed to retain neither the name nor the election symbol. She questioned who these people were, adding that while they are in power today, they might not be tomorrow, and they ought to understand their limits.

On the issue of ‘vote theft’, Mamata Banerjee expressed deep concern. She alleged that votes had been rigged in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Bengal. She also leveled allegations regarding the hijacking of EVMs. Mamata labeled the Bharatiya Janata Party a “liar BJP party” and a “jumla party” (party of empty rhetoric), stating that its agenda is to dismantle the country’s democracy, Constitution, and education system.

Mamata Banerjee remarked that even journalists are not being spared; anyone who speaks out against the party faces arrest. She noted that Uddhav Thackeray had previously faced a similar situation. Targeting the BJP, she asserted that she has no respect for anyone solely intent on pandering to the BJP’s arrogance.

It is worth noting that the TMC faction led by Arup Roy has been allotted the ‘envelope’ election symbol and the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’. In an interim order issued on Thursday night, the Commission had directed both factions not to use the name ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ or the ‘twin flowers’ symbol during the by-elections. The Commission stated that both sides had been asked to select their preferred symbols from the list of available options. It clarified that this arrangement applies only to the upcoming by-elections and that a final decision regarding the party’s name and symbol would be made once the dispute is resolved.

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)

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