ECI officers entrusted to reject TMC nominations: CM Mamata

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that newly appointed officials by the Election Commission of India (ECI) were entrusted to reject nominations of her party candidates and urged them to be cautious while filing their nominations.

Addressing a poll rally at Nanoor in Birbhum district of West Bengal, Banerjee also lashed out at the BJP for allegedly misusing central agencies for its political benefit.

“Everything has been changed; it’s a new setup here. The newly appointed officers by the ECI are entrusted to reject your nomination; so be cautious while filing your nominations,” Banerjee said at the rally.

The West Bengal chief minister also urged people, especially women, not to vote for the BJP.

“They (BJP) are anti-women, that’s why their names are being deleted in SIR citing logical discrepancy,” she said.

Banerjee also welcomed the Supreme Court’s observations on SIR and said that she was “happy” with it.

Earlier in the day, the apex court said the appellate tribunals will be deciding appeals that will be filed by the persons whose names have been excluded from the voter lists and those of the authorities of the poll panel against the alleged wrongful inclusions.

Later, speaking at another rally in Burwan, the CM alleged that the BJP was asking people for their bank account numbers and cautioned them not to share them.

“This is the game plan of the BJP — to pay people cash before the elections and then make a fool of them after the polls,” she said.

The elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases — on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.