Kolkata, April 29: Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh on Wednesday termed the deployment of CRPF personnel for Assembly polls in West Bengal as “state of war”. Taking a jibe at the central forces who have been deployed by the Election Commission for peaceful conduct of elections in the state, she said that “only the Navy and Air Force were left to enter Bengal”.
Speaking to IANS amid the second phase of polling, Ghosh asserted that her party is in favour of free and fair election and that they don’t need to cause violence as she believes that the people of Bengal are with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Over CRPF’s deployment, the Trinamool Congress MP said: “There’s just the Air Force and Navy who are left to enter the state. There are tanks around; it is like a state of war in Bengal.” “It shows the desperation of the BJP and how they can see that the ground is slipping away from their feet,” she added.
Agreeing to Mamata Banerjee’s allegations that poll observers from outside have been deployed in the state, Ghosh said: “They (BJP) are going lock, stock, and barrel. It is their motto to take over Bengal by hook or crook.” Sharpening her attack on the BJP, the Trinamool Congress MP said: “They are doing everything possible from exploiting agencies to conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) just two months before the election, deleting the names of legitimate voters to intimidating voters.”
“Our officers have also been transferred and observers have been brought from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, who don’t know our language and who have no connect with the people,” she alleged. Ghosh also alleged that all kind of efforts are being made by the BJP to “intimidate” people so that they don’t vote in favour of Chief Minister Banerjee and to tamper with the polling percentage as well.
Sounding confident of the party’s victory, the Trinamool MP said: “The BJP may keep doing all these things but Mamata Banerjee is standing firm with Bengal and its people. She also added: “When the results come out, there’s going to be a clear reflection of the people’s mandate.” IANS
