 "INDIA bloc to raise objection against 'targeting' of Oppn leaders with EC")
Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the INDI alliance would meet with the Election Commission to address concerns regarding the alleged targeting of Opposition leaders ahead of the Lok Sabha 2024 and state Assembly elections.
In a post on a social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Banerjee vehemently condemned the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the sitting chief minister of Delhi, and criticised the "deliberate targeting" of elected Opposition chief ministers.
She wrote, "It's outrageous that while elected opposition CMs are being deliberately targeted and arrested while individuals accused under CBI/ED investigations are allowed to continue their malpractices with impunity, especially after aligning with the BJP. This is a blatant assault on democracy."
"Today, our INDIA alliance will meet the EC to express our strong objection to the deliberate targeting and arrests of opposition leaders, particularly during the MCC period," the West Bengal Chief Minister added.
Banerjee termed this as a blatant assault on democracy.
She added that TMC would be represented by MPs Derek O'Brien and Md Nadimul Haque in this meeting.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering and corruption in the 2021-22 Delhi Excise policy case. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had refused to grant relief to Kejriwal against any "coercive action" by the agency.
Earlier on Thursday, the Congress party accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of unfair practices ahead of the general elections. Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge complained about the freezing of the party's bank accounts, hindering their election campaigning. Kharge further criticised the BJP for accumulating funds through electoral bonds while suppressing the Opposition.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) went into effect with the election poll schedule announcement on March 16. The Lok Sabha elections will be conducted in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with counting of votes scheduled for June 4.