As West Bengal Assembly elections approach, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring to get the upcoming polls cancelled and impose President’s rule in the state.
Addressing a rally in Sagardighi, Banerjee alleged that the BJP was behind the Malda incident in which seven judicial officers were taken hostage by villagers on Wednesday.
Claims Of Administrative Control Shift
“Administration is not under my control right now. Law and order (situation) is being controlled by the ECI. They work as per the instructions of Home Minister Amit Shah. The Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, DG, SPs, DMs, ADMs, BDOs, ICs and several other state officials have been changed,” she said.
She further alleged that the BJP intends to “cancel the elections and capture Bengal forcefully”.
“You (BJP) have tried to provoke people in many ways. The plan is to cancel the elections. If that happens, nobody will have the right to vote. They will capture Bengal forcefully. ECI has snatched away my powers and has imposed a ‘super President’s Rule’ with the help of the Home Minister and the Governor,” Banerjee said.
No Prior Information On Malda Incident
The Chief Minister said she had no prior knowledge of the Malda episode and learnt about it from a journalist. She added that the current Chief Secretary had not contacted her.
“I don’t know who was behind yesterday’s incident in Malda. I don’t have any information. The incumbent CS has not even called me once. I got to know from a journalist that judges are gheraoed. There is discontentment among people in Malda, Murshidabad and Uttar Dinajpur. People have fallen prey to the BJP’s game plan,” Banerjee said.
Malda Incident Triggers Political Storm
A major controversy erupted after seven judicial officers, including three women, were held hostage by villagers in Malda district on Wednesday.
The standoff was triggered by mass deletions from electoral rolls under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Protests paralysed Malda through the day, with demonstrators blocking national and state highways and key rural routes across at least five Assembly constituencies.
Supreme Court Pulls Up State Authorities
Reacting to the incident, the Supreme Court described it as a brazen and deliberate attempt to obstruct the administration of justice.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern that, despite prior intimation, State authorities failed to provide prompt protection, leaving the officers without food or water for hours.
The court issued show-cause notices to the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director-General of Police, seeking an explanation for the inaction. It also directed the Election Commission to deploy adequate central forces to ensure the safety of judicial officers and the smooth conduct of the SIR adjudication process.
The bench mandated strict security at all venues, restricted public entry, ordered an immediate threat assessment for officers and their families, and sought compliance reports. Senior officials have been asked to be present virtually at the next hearing.
Election Schedule And Past Results
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, held in eight phases, the Trinamool Congress secured a landslide victory with 213 seats. The BJP won 77 seats, while the Congress and Left Front failed to win any seats.
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