TMC engaging in post-poll violence to destroy opposition before next polls: Suvendu

"TMC is doing this to try to destroy the opposition before the next elections. They do not have enough mandate," Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly said speaking to reporters in Siliguri on Saturday.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is engaged in post-poll violence in the state because it wants to wipe out the opposition in the state ahead of the next elections. "TMC is doing this to try to destroy the opposition before the next elections. They do not have enough mandate," Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly said speaking to reporters in Siliguri on Saturday.

The senior BJP leader pointed out that though his party did not perform as expected in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, they have received 39 per cent vote share in the state and are also leading in 90 assembly seats. "BJP did not get 21-22 seats (in the Lok Sabha polls), it got 12, This is okay. But the BJP received 39 per cent vote share in Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal and got 2 crore 33 lakh votes in the state. TMC knows that the BJP is leading in 90 assembly seats, in 146 assembly constitutencies, the BJP has 40 per cent vote share," Adhikari said giving details of the BJP's electoral performance.

Accusing the TMC of engaging in electoral malpractice in the state, Adhikari said that Coochbehar District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Mina defeated BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik. "Everyone knows how they selected some sectors and rigged the elections and counting. In Coochbehar, till the 18th round, BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik was ahead, in the 19th or 20th round he was defeated. DM Arvind Kumar Mina defeated him," the BJP leader said.

"The EVM machine number mentioned in Form 17C does not match with the numbers on the machines. Our counting agents were arrested by police from the counting hall by the DM," he said. Adhikari claimed that the TMC's performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls does not reflect the "peoples' mandate" but is the result of the conspiracy hatched by the state government and police along with the Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC).

"This was true from Coochbehar to Sandeshkhali, from Canning to Diamond Harbour. This was not the peoples' mandate, this is the result of the conspiracy by the administration, police, IPAC," he said. BJP MP from Darjeeling, Raju Bista said, " The corruption that is going on in Bengal is the model of TMC...terrorising people is TMC model...because of imported votes, TMC won this time. On behalf of people of Bengal, I appeal central govt to immediately intervene to save Bengal...the situation that is happening right now, central forces should be here...but till when they can do something...therefore central govt and President must intervene."

Speaking about West Bengal Governor Ananda Mohan Bose, Adhikari said that the former has enough constitutional power that should be used amid the constitutional breakdown in the state. "The Governor knows what to do. He is the constitutional head and he is a highly educated person, a knowledgable person. I should not comment on the legal proceedings that are going on. The Governor has enough constitutional powers and he should use them as there is a constitutional breakdown in West Bengal," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party national president JP Nadda on Saturday constituted a 4-member committee to probe post-poll violence in West Bengal. The committee includes party MPs Biplab Kumar Deb, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Brij Lal and Kavita Patidar with Deb as its convener who will take immediate stock of the situation and report further.

"We have just seen Lok Sabha elections conclude across 28 States and 8 Union Territories of India. Among the Assembly elections held, along with the national election, two states saw the transfer of power. All this has happened peacefully, with no instance of political violence reported from anywhere. Except for West Bengal, which continues to be in the vice grip of post-poll violence, the kind we saw post-2021 Assembly elections," BJP said in a press release. The BJP said the Lok Sabha elections were held across the country and no instance of political violence was reported from anywhere except West Bengal.

"Mamata Banerjee remains a mute spectator, while criminals of her party, attack and intimidate opposition workers and voters with impunity. Even the Calcutta High Court has taken note of these excesses and extended the deployment of CAPF till June 21 and has listed the matter for hearing on June 18," added the release. West Bengal's Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was stopped by the police on Thursday from entering the Raj Bhavan to meet West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose with alleged victims of post-poll violence.

Earlier this month, Suvendu Adhikari had written to Governor CV Ananda Bose, raising concerns about the All India Trinamool Congress' alleged role in post-poll violence, urging him to take steps to prevent a recurrence of the situation after elections in 2021. (ANI)

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