West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying in Delhi and Maharashtra, the saffron party had won elections by enrolling fake voters from Haryana and Gujarat. While addressing a Trinamool Party (TMC) workers' meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium, she asserted unless the Election Commission of India becomes impartial, there cannot be free and fair elections. The chief minister, on the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as CEC, alleged that the BJP is trying to influence the Election Commission of India.
"We will identify fake electors, who have been enrolled with the help of BJP and will not allow outsiders to capture Bengal," she asserted.
TMC's Abhishek dismisses speculation of rift with Mamata
In another development, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee rejected reports that he has differences with party chief Mamata Banerjee, and reaffirmed his loyalty to her.
"I am a loyal soldier of the TMC, and my leader is Mamata Banerjee," he said at a party conference in Kolkata. Dismissing speculation that he might cross over to the BJP, he said, "Those who are saying that I am joining BJP are spreading canards."
"I know those people who are spreading such fake news. They have vested interests ahead of the next year’s assembly polls," he said. The Diamond Harbour MP also asserted that he would "continue to expose traitors within the party, just as he did during the last assembly elections".
(With agencies inputs)