Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the Election Commission of India helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) steal votes in the state.
“We did not fight the BJP, we fought the EC, which worked in favor of the saffron party,” Banerjee said during a press conference in Kalighat, Kolkata.
The Supreme Military Council also claimed that she was physically assaulted inside the counting center. Speaking to the media, the Trinamool Congress leader stated that she was “kicked, pushed and manhandled” inside the counting centre.
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The Election Commission of India announced the results of the West Bengal assembly elections on Monday. Amid clashes and violence across Bengal, the EC announced that the BJP had won 207 seats.
The current Transitional Military Council won 80 seats. However, during the counting of votes, Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders alleged that the Election Commission stopped the counting of votes to show a landslide victory for the BJP.
Banerjee said that the India Bloc leaders will work together, after the elections were “rigged” in favor of the BJP.
“All opposition party leaders are working together. The atrocities being committed are unheard of. Leaders are being beaten up, their homes are being demolished, women are being threatened with rape. How can a ruling party at the center do such things?” Banerjee said.
Mamata Banerjee’s new allegations against EC and BJP | What we know
- The Trinamool leader said that ED agents had stopped the counting of votes to show the BJP’s victory. Banerjee made a similar claim on the day of the result on Monday.
- Mamata Banerjee also stated that she was kicked, pushed and manhandled inside the counting center on Monday.
- Banerjee, who is now the outgoing chief minister, said they would not resign. “There is no doubt that I will resign. We were defeated not by public mandate but by conspiracy: Mamata Banerjee,” she said during the press conference on Tuesday.
- The TMC chief also stated that BJP “goons” made rape threats to TMC leaders, especially those who questioned the electoral process.
