NEW DELHI, April 8: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation’s meeting with the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday to discuss alleged voter disenfranchisement during West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ended in acrimony, with both sides trading sharp accusations.
The session, lasting just seven minutes, reportedly saw TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien interrupting proceedings and allegedly shouting at the commissioners.
In response, TMC leaders claimed that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar told them to “get lost,” prompting a war of narratives between the party and the poll panel.
The EC issued a rare public statement naming TMC, saying it had delivered a “straight-talk” session and reiterating that the upcoming elections in West Bengal would be “fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, inducement-free,” and free from electoral malpractices such as booth-jamming or chappa.
The statement emphasized that such strong language from the EC is unusual and underscored the commission’s determination to ensure a fair poll.
TMC rejected the EC’s account as a “blatant lie.” The delegation, which included Derek O’Brien, Sagarika Ghose, Saket Gokhale, and Menaka Guruswamy, submitted nine letters from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and highlighted specific examples of alleged bias by election officials linked to the BJP, demanding their transfer.
O’Brien claimed the CEC dismissed their concerns and did not allow other commissioners to speak, limiting meaningful discussion.
The TMC also criticized the EC on social media, accusing it of singling out their party and questioning its neutrality.
Leaders stressed that elections must be free from Delhi’s influence, political bias, targeted persecution, and double standards.
The acrimony highlights the growing tension between the EC and TMC ahead of the polls, reflecting deep mistrust over electoral processes in West Bengal.
Both sides publicly contested each other’s versions of events, intensifying political friction just weeks before voting begins.
The dispute has drawn attention to questions of transparency, impartiality, and the handling of voter roll revisions in the state. (PTI)
