CPI-M moves EC over 'Mamata's voters intimidation'

Claiming that certain remarks made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a TV interview tantamount to "voter intimidation" and "open threat", the CPI-M on Saturday lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission (EC) seeking action.

"We have submitted to the EC a video of her Friday's TV interview during which she has resorted to intimidating tactics. Her comments which have come after the announcement of the polls, are in gross violation of the EC guidelines," said CPI-M state secretariat member Rabin Deb.

EC officials led by chief electoral officer Sunil Gupta on the day held discussions with representatives of nine political parties.

"During the interview she said the central security forces will provide security for the few days of election, but common people will have to depend upon her administration for the rest of the year.

"She also said if need be, she might change her party slogan of 'change and not revenge' and seek revenge. These remarks are nothing but intimidating the voters and issuing threats publicly," said Deb.

Referring to announcement of Additional Superintendent of Police, Jalpaiguri, James Kujur, as a Trinamool Congress candidate for the Kumargram seat in Alipurduar district, Deb also accused the ruling party of blatantly violating the model code of conduct.

"The polls have just been announced and the ruling party has already displayed that it has no qualms in violating the model code of conduct. We have raised all these issues with the commission during the meeting," he said.

On Wednesday a Communist Party of India-Marxist delegation comprising general secretary Sitaram Yechury and central secretariat member Nilotpal Basu met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi in Delhi to draw the EC's attention to some serious concerns which could undermine the right of the voters in the coming assembly polls.

"During Zaidi's vvisit here we had raised certain issues regarding the polls here including discrepancies in voters' list, we also submitted a memorandum to the EC on Wednesday about our concerns and again today (on Saturday) we lodged complaints, seeking to know what the EC is doing about them," added Deb.