BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal slams CM Mamata's silence over West Bengal post-poll violence

West Bengal is all set to witness another high-profile political battle after Nandigram as BJP has fielded Priyanka Tibrewal to contest against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in September 30 by-polls to the Bhabanipur seat. During the press briefing on Friday, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Dilip Ghosh and Priyanka Tebriwal expressed their confidence in defeating Mamata Banerjee at the Bhabanipur bypolls.  

Dilip Ghosh during the press briefing outlined BJP's Suvendu Adhikari's victory against Mamata Banerjee from the Nandigram constituency during the West Bengal state elections and expressed his confidence in Priyanka Tibrewal. 

During the press conference, Priyanka Tebriwal asserted that her fight is not against one person but against injustice. "My fight is not against any individual but against injustice. This fight is to save the people of West Bengal. Yes, it is against one particular person (CM) who remained silent during violence in the state," said Tebriwal.

Tibrewal, currently the state vice president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP's youth wing, had joined the party in 2014. 

Bhabanipur crucial for Mamata to retain CM post

The battle of Bhabanipur is important for TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, who lost the West Bengal Assembly elections from Nandigram to TMC-turned-BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. Mamata Banerjee now needs to get re-elected as an MLA by November 5 to continue as the Chief Minister of the state. Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, TMC MLA from Bhabanipur constituency has vacated the seat for Banerjee. The West Bengal Chief Minister on Friday filed her nomination for the Bhabanipur bypolls. 

The votes for Bhabanipur, as well as Jangipur and Samserganj, will be counted on October 3 and results declared the same day.

Who is Priyanka Tibrewal? 

After the Trinamool Congress (TMC) swept the West Bengal Assembly Elections, its cadre resorted to violence in the name of 'victory celebrations.' In the aftermath of the violence, then Assam Health Minister (now CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed that several BJP workers had been forced to flee Bengal and take shelter near the Assam border. Both the BJP and the CPI(M) alleged cases of attacks against their party workers in the state after the May 2 results even as Mamata Banerjee denied the charges.

Priyanka Tibrewal, who lost the West Bengal Assembly polls from Entally, decided to pursue the cases of post-poll violence against Mamata Banerjee government in the Calcutta High Court. The BJP leader is a practising advocate in the Calcutta HC and the Supreme Court. Tibrewal became one of the petitioners who moved the court and successfully managed to bring a decision in favour of the victims.

Last month, the 5-judge bench unanimously passed a decision and directed that all cases of murder and crimes against women including rape pertaining to the post-poll violence be transferred to the CBI. It also warned Mamata Banerjee that any obstruction in the course of the probe will be taken very seriously. Moreover, it entrusted all other cases referred by the NHRC to an SIT.

(Image Credits: ANI)