Trinamul Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee criticising the electoral process in West Bengal, alleged mass disenfranchisement of voters, partisan conduct by constitutional authorities and targeted post-poll violence against TMC workers, while asserting that the party would continue its political battle “without fear and without compromise” under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.
In a strongly worded message posted on his WhatsApp channel, Banerjee claimed that nearly “30 lakh genuine voters” had allegedly been struck off the electoral rolls during what he described as an “extremely difficult election.” He further alleged that several government agencies, along with the Election Commission of India, displayed “deeply partisan conduct” throughout the electoral exercise.
“Democratic institutions that are meant to function impartially appeared compromised, raising serious concerns about the fairness, credibility and transparency of the electoral process in West Bengal,” Banerjee said.
Questioning the integrity of the counting process, Banerjee referred to allegations concerning the handling and movement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and what he termed a “mismatch of control units”. He demanded the immediate release of CCTV footage from counting centres and called for a transparent counting of VVPAT slips to “bring the truth before the people”.
Banerjee also voiced concern over reports of post-poll violence, alleging that Trinamul Congress offices and workers had come under attack in several areas.
“No political worker in a democracy should ever have to choose between their safety and their political beliefs,” he said. The TMC has said that till now nine people have died in post-poll violence in the state.