West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee warns of indefinite dharna before EC office over 'fake voter' allegations against BJP
Times of India | 27 February 2025
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (PTI) NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the BJP, with the "help of the Election Commission" (EC), was adding fake voters from other states to the electoral rolls.
She warned that if corrective action was not taken, she would stage an indefinite protest outside the poll body's office.
Speaking at a TMC conference, Banerjee also raised concerns over the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the chief election commissioner, accusing the BJP of attempting to "influence" the constitutional body.
"How the BJP is manipulating the voters' list with the blessings of the Election Commission is very much clear," she claimed.
Recalling her 26-day hunger strike during the 2006 anti-land acquisition movement, Banerjee said, "If I can go for 26 days hunger strike, then we can start a movement against the Election Commission too.
If needed, we can go for dharna before the Election Commission's office for an indefinite period to press for demand to correct voter rolls and remove fake electors."
She accused the BJP of using similar tactics in Delhi and Maharashtra by allegedly adding voters from Haryana and Gujarat to manipulate election results.
"In Delhi and Maharashtra, the BJP had won elections by enrolling fake voters from Haryana and Gujarat. The party will bring these fake voters from Haryana and Gujarat and try to win elections in Bengal, as the BJP knows that it can never win Bengal elections if polls are held in a free and fair manner," she alleged.
Banerjee further accused the BJP of ensuring the inclusion of fake voters in various districts of West Bengal with EC’s support.
"We will identify fake voters who have been enrolled on the voter list with the help of the BJP. We will not allow outsiders (BJP) to capture Bengal," she asserted.
Reiterating her stance, Banerjee said, "What BJP has done in Delhi (assembly polls) can't be repeated in Bengal."
Her remarks come amid intensifying political tensions in the state, with both the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP preparing for a heated electoral contest.
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