Mamata Claims BJP Rigged 177 Of 208 Seats It Won

In a Facebook broadcast, the former chief minister said, “You have targeted and defeated Bengal in the name of SIR and logical discrepancies. I have specific information about how you rigged nearly 177 seats and hacked machines. I suffered from it. I was thrashed and removed forcibly from the counting centre when I was leading by a margin of 13,000 votes.”

She also accused the BJP of trying to engineer defections in her party by threatening MLAs with criminal cases and offering inducements.

Citing specific instances, she said, “At Rajarhat, our candidate Tapas Chatterjee was declared winner but was forced to lose by around 300 votes in the name of recounting the next day. There are many such cases. Don't think we have no evidence or documents. I'm also surprised to see how our MLAs are being threatened by police, from inspector-in-charge to superintendents of oolice, for defection.”

Banerjee further alleged misuse of police machinery, saying, “Cops are sent to stop them from stepping out. While police are making the first call, BJP is following up over the phone from its offices. Our workers aren't allowed to take out rallies and hold meetings. Four of our MLAs have told me about the police threat to implicate them in arms and drugs cases. Your attempt to break TMC with threats and money will not succeed however. This will only strengthen us more.”

The allegations came hours after the Trinamul Congress expelled two newly-elected MLAs — Ritabrata Banerjee from Uluberia East and Sandipan Saha from Entally — for approaching Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose with complaints that their signatures had been forged in endorsing Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition.

The action followed a press conference by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who named them as complainants in a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department, which has summoned Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee for a second time after he skipped an earlier appearance.

The expulsion notice said, “It has been brought to the notice of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Party through its competent authority that, despite having been elected as a candidate nominated by the AITC, you have repeatedly failed to attend meetings convened by the authorized leadership of the Party and have made yourself involved in anti-party activities.”

“It has also been observed that you have engaged in activities and made statements that are prejudicial to the interests of AITC. After due consideration of the matter, the competent authority of AITC has decided to expel you from the (primary) membership of the Party with immediate effect. Consequently, you shall cease to hold any position, responsibility, or privilege associated with the Party from the date of issuance of this notice. This notice shall come into force with immediate effect.”

Banerjee also announced plans to stage a dharna in Kolkata on Tuesday alleging atrocities by the BJP. Police, however, did not permit construction of a dais at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Esplanade and shifted the protest to the nearby Y-Channel for a limited duration.