BJP registers complaint against CM Mamata with ECI over her remarks on HM Amit Shah

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding legal action against her. In a representation to the poll panel, a BJP delegation accused the Chief Minister of running a "smear campaign" against Shah.

This latest development comes after TMC supremo had recently alleged that Amit Shah may be influencing the poll-watchdog, EC, during a rally in Bankura on march 16. Mamata Banerjee had said, "Who is running the election commission, Amit Shah, are you running the election commission?"

BJP writes to ECI

The saffron party in its complaint to EC said that Banerjee had alleged that Shah had been hatching conspiracies sitting in Kolkata. The party also accused the Chief Minister of attempting to tarnish the image of the Union Home Minister and other senior leaders of the party. 

BJP said, "The above-mentioned instances are false, fraudulent, derogatory allegations and are made without any basis in law or in fact. A smear campaign is being run to tarnish the image & reputation of Shri Amit Shah and other senior leaders of BJP, with the intent to spread misinformation and thereby influence the voters in a wrongful manner."

BJP seeks legal action against Mamata

BJP stated that in absence of any fear of punitive or corrective action by the EC, the political discourse and the language used by the Chief Minister has not only vitiated the electoral atmosphere but has also encouraged Trinamool Congress workers in further lowering the levels of propriety by resorting to both verbal and physical violence. 

The saffron party further urged the EC to immediately censure Banerjee from further speeches and take appropriate legal action against her for her present and past conduct in "gross contempt of and in blatant violation of model code of conduct and electoral laws".

BJP said, "We request the Election Commission to intervene urgently by taking appropriate legal action against Mamata Banerjee for her continued fraudulent, baseless and abusive practice and to pass a prohibitory order, otherwise, it might spoil the electoral environment, where abusing and spreading false news will become inevitable and the norm."

West Bengal elections

The West Bengal Assembly with 294 seats will also go to the polls from May 2, 2021. CM Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress holds 222 seats at present. However, BJP has made major inroads in the state in the Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats out of 42 and establishing itself as the major opposition force in the state. The BJP is using its booth-level strategy and has regularly dispatched its top leaders including Amit Shah and JP Nadda in the state for winning the upcoming Bengal elections, with the Prime Minister also addressing mega-rallies there in recent weeks. The party has also been inducting a number of major TMC leaders on a regular basis and plans to hold at least 1500 rallies and assorted road-shows in total.