"Difficult to hold elections in WB without central forces": BJP leader Agnimitra Paul attacks TMC
Mar 18, 2024
North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], March 18 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Agnimitra Paul said on Monday that if adequate central forces are not deployed at the booths, then it would be difficult to hold elections in West Bengal.
The BJP leader said this in response to Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal's remark on the phases of Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to ANI on Monday, Paul said, "Before giving out such big dialogues, Kapil Sibal should himself come to West Bengal, go to the booths and see how the elections are conducted here."
"Kabil Sibal Ji is a senior advocate himself and therefore he should know that the votes are conducted by the public for the public. However, it's not possible here for the common man to reach a booth and vote as per one's choice because of TMC goons," she said.
The BJP leader further said, "Kapil Sibal Ji, please come to West Bengal and see how your didi (Mamata Banerjee) conducts voting here. We (the BJP) and the public are really happy that the vote is being cast in 7 phases. If adequate central forces are not here at the booths, then it will be difficult to conduct elections in West Bengal."
This comes after Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal accused the Election Commission of favouring the Bharatiya Janata Party over the 7-phase Lok Sabha poll schedule.
A day after the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha election in seven phases, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Kapil Sibal alleged that "they are showing their loyalty."
"They (the Election Commission of India) are showing their loyalty towards the BJP and saying that we are scheduling elections in seven phases so that the army of campaigners and resources that you (the BJP) have can use it accordingly. ECI's loyalty is visible in every phase. They (ECI) have said that they will conduct the legislative elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the Lok Sabha elections, but that will be a UT election and not the state election, whereas people are asking, How can you make the state a UT and then conduct the elections for the same, it's unconstitutional and I believe that there won't be any election (in J&K)," said Sibal while talking to ANI.
The BJP leader also reacted to TMC leader Satrughan Sinha's statement on the INDI alliance and said, "If he is talking about the INDI alliance, he should talk to his party chief first. People know well about the outcomes of the INDI alliance. This alliance has been formed to protect a few political families, but not for unity and ideology."