CM Complains Poll Rigging On Fifth Phase

In a poll campaign at Raidighi in South-24-Parganas, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was heard saying the voters to be ‘vigilant’ as Congress and CPM, the two leading Opposition parties in Bengal will opt for poll rigging to increase their share of vote. Reports are that State ruling party Trinamool Congress (TMC) head on Tuesday had addressed a poll campaign at Raidighi and ‘commented over the prospect’ of actor-turned-politician candidate Debashree Roy there.

“They have planned to rig the polls in some booths in Raidighi. You should be vigilant. What do you want in Raidighi? Kanti or shanti (peace)? If you want shanti, vote for Debashree,” said Banerjee for her party candidate Debashree who is planning to go on re-election against CPM’s Kanti Ganguly. Raidighi will go on polls on the fifth phase of Assembly Elections, on April 30.

The CM even claimed that she has received text messages from few CPM workers who wrote that “The booths where Kanti Ganguly would rig the polls are 221, 224, 268, 263, 108, 109, 111, 112, 225, 235, 229, 198, 203, 202, and 201.”

According to reports, Roy competed against Kanti Ganguly in 2011 Assembly polls and 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Also, Banerjee has used the word ‘rigging’ for the first times in this session of polls while her party has been accused of doing the same in the earlier phases. A mocking CPM member Mohammad Salim said: “The chief minister, who has been at the helm of the administration for five years and with policemen at her beck and call, is complaining about rigging. This is something unheard of. This means Kanti Ganguly should sweep the polls in Raidighi.”