Kolkata: Calling the exit poll results of the Assembly Election in West Bengal “BJP-sponsored” and thus “rigged”, chief minister and Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee sounded confident on Thursday about her party’s fourth term in power in the state with more than 226 seats out of 294 this time.
She also declared that she would give rounds as a TMC candidate at the counting centres in her home turf, Bhowanipore, on May 4, the date of the announcement of the results, for monitoring the counting of votes and directed her party rank and file to be vigilant till all votes are counted.
In a veiled reference to the BJP, Ms Banerjee said in a video message, “Those who wanted to silence people of Bengal with the entire machinery of the union government, from Prime Minister to home minister, alongwith the ministers and leaders from 19 states and money, muscle and force power, fell silent in vote boxes.”
Rejecting TMC’s defeat in the exit poll, the CM pointed out, “Whatever is shown on TV is rigged. It was circulated from the BJP office at 1.08 pm on Wednesday amid polling. I got to know about it immediately in a specific information received from the media. Money was spent to ensure the broadcast. It was forcibly stated in a message that nothing can be shown beyond this. The reason is that we can get 200-300. We will anyway cross 226 this time. I have full faith in people for their huge voting.”
According to her, the exit poll narrative was targeted to stabilize the share market and break the morale of the TMC cadres ahead of the counting of votes. “Share markets would have toppled if the real figures were released. They (BJP) are playing their last game through a section of the media to psychologically weaken our workers and reassure the share market,” the CM argued.
She then said, “Keep a close watch on counting. Stay awake all night. They have plans to swap EVMs. Don’t leave EVMs at the counting centres till I address a press conference and make an announcement. They might change data in computers while updating figures by inserting our numbers to their tally and vice-versa. I will also visit the counting centres as a candidate. You have gone through so much. Please bear slightly more to save Bengal.”
Meanwhile, two TMC candidates, Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh, staged a dharna outside Netaji Indoor Stadium, housing a strong room and counting centre, alleging that BJP and EC representatives tried to open ballot boxes in absence of their party agents. Dr Panja, who is state child development minister, is contesting from Shyampukur while Mr Ghosh is a candidate at Beleghata in North Kolkata.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
