Derek O’Brien: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a strong warning to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress (TMC). ECI posted on X that elections in West Bengal this time would be free from violence, fear, inducement and intimidation and without source jamming, chappa and booth jamming.
Mamata Banerjee After Filing Nomination
Banerjee has filed nomination from the Bhabanipur seat. She first contested from the same seat in 2011 after ending the 34-year rule of the Left Front. Banerjee would fight the Bhabanipur seat against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Banerjee greeted party workers and was seen her trademark simple attire. The sitting West Bengal CM walked nearly 800 meters to the Alipore Survey Building for completing the nomination formalities.
Derek O’Brien Asked To “Get Lost”
In another development, TMC leader Derek O’Brien commented that ECI asked him to “get lost” after just 5 minutes of a meeting. The ECI defended itself by saying that Derek O’Brien asked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to not speak and even shouted at him.
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During a morning meeting today, Menaka Guruswamy, Sagarika Ghose, O’Brien and Saket Gokhale attended the meeting with the ECI. This was after more than 27 lakh names were struck off from West Bengal’s voter list before the two-phase West Bengal elections on April 23 and 29. It was commented by the ECI that the CEC requested O’Brien to properly maintain the Commission Room’s decorum, stating that indecent behaviour and shouting were not appropriate.
Leaders from the TMC rejected the allegations outrightly, terming them “false and ridiculous”. They went on to challenge the ECI to make public a record of the meeting.
In the 2021 Assembly Elections, the TMC party secured a landslide win with 213 seats; BJP emerged the second-best party with 77 seats. The Left Front and Congress failed to win any seats in the 2021 Assembly Elections.
