KOLKATA: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former Chief Minister (CM) of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Akhilesh Yadav, alleged that the assembly elections in Bengal were conducted through manipulation and intimidation.
Akhilesh met former West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday at her Kalighat residence and expressed solidarity with her and the party leadership following their defeat in the elections in Bengal.
Trinamool suffered a crushing defeat to the BJP, winning only 80 out of 294 assembly constituencies in the state. The saffron party secured a massive victory in 207 seats and will form its first-ever government in the state.
The SP chief alleged that the elections in Bengal were conducted on the “Uttar Pradesh model”, involving intimidation and manipulation.
Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was also present at the meeting, where the SP chief is understood to have discussed the post-poll political situation in Bengal and reiterated support for opposition unity against the BJP.
“You have not lost. The fight to save democracy will continue, and we stand beside you,” Yadav was heard telling Banerjee during the meeting, according to sources present.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Akhilesh alleged that the Bengal polls witnessed “multi-layered mafia tactics” involving the BJP, the Election Commission, and “underground elements”.
He said the Bengal polls were a re-run of the Uttar Pradesh elections.
Yadav also expressed concern over the safety of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, alleging that the BJP was “anti-women”, and asserted that democratic forces across the country must unite.