KOLKATA: Chief Minister of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that her Tamil Nadu counterpart and DMK chief, M K Stalin, and the Congress might have a secret understanding with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Her remarks triggered a controversy among partners of the INDIA bloc, a national alliance of anti-BJP forces, ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in five states – West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
Besides the Trinamool Congress, 28 anti-BJP parties, including the Congress, CPI-M, DMK, and others, are part of the INDIA bloc.
While addressing an election campaign in Nakashipara, Mamata spoke about the purported “secret understanding” between the Congress and DMK and the ECI. Political observers felt that Mamata’s doubts are significant, especially as she has repeatedly claimed that the ECI is carrying out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengal by deleting names of a large number of voters at the behest of the BJP-led Centre.
Targetting the Commission, Mamata said that many senior officials of Bengal, including IAS and IPS officers, have been transferred to Tamil Nadu. “All are being sent to TN and it (Commission) has an intimacy with the southern state. Congress and Stalin might have a secret understanding with the Commission.
”In the anti-BJP camp, Mamata and Stalin have generally shared good political relations, something well known among the INDIA bloc partners. At times, allies have even proposed either Mamata or Stalin to lead the alliance. Against this backdrop, Mamata’s remarks in Nakashipara were seen as unusual ahead of the polls.
This is the second time Mamata has raised the issue since Sunday. Earlier, while addressing a rally in Samserganj, she had said, “What’s the secret understanding between the DMK and the ECI? All officers of Bengal are being sent to Tamil Nadu, instead of keeping them in their home state.” However, she did not name Stalin at the time. On Monday in Nadia, she directly named him, causing a visible strain within the INDIA bloc.
On the other hand, Mamata also demanded the resignation of PM Narendra Modi, accusing him of remaining silent on Pakistan’s reported threat to target Kolkata in a future conflict. Referring to his rally in Cooch Behar, she said, “You (PM) target Bengal during election rallies; but when Pakistan talks of attacking Bengal, you do not utter a word. You should resign.”
