BJP candidate's 'receive 100 letters' comment demeaning for EC: TMC

Kolkata, Sep 16 (PTI) BJP candidate for Bhabanipur assembly by-poll Priyanka Tibrewal on Thursday courted controversy when she allegedly said she regularly "receives 100 letters, reads 150 and ignores 200 others", prompting the Trinamool Congress to claim that she demeaned the Election Commission.

The EC had sent a notice to her on Wednesday, following a complaint by the TMC that she violated COVID-19 protocols as a large number of people accompanied her during the filing of nomination papers.

Tibrewal, who is contesting against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur by-poll, later said her comment has nothing to do with the EC notice and she was misquoted by a section of the media.

While the TMC condemned the alleged statement of Tibrewal, the BJP sided with her. The BJP candidate has already replied to the EC notice claiming she did not violate the Covid protocols, she apparently lost her cool on Thursday when asked to comment on the poll panel's missive again by newspersons.

"I get 100 letters, I read 150 letters, I ignore 200 others," Tibrewal said While talking to mediapersons during campaigning.

Video footage of her purportedly making the comment was shown on various news channels.

Later, Tibrewal said she did not make any comment against the EC and never shows disrespect to any institution.

"My statement was, as a lawyer, I receive 100 letters, I read 150 letters and I ignore 200 others. My comment has nothing to do with the EC notice to me. I have said nothing against the EC. I was misquoted," she said.

TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed that only the BJP is able to make such a comment.

"I can only say this is demeaning for the EC and it should take note of the comment," TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

As Tibrewal has no popular base, she is making such remarks to be in news, claimed senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim.

BJP West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh, however, said, "The Trinamool Congress is trying to disturb her as it has got scared of her popularity and fighting spirit." PTI SUS NN NN