Kolkata: West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress Wednesday dismissed as “laughable” the CPI-M’s demand for repoll in over 3,000 booths where the Lok Sabha election was held over five phases.
Ridiculing the Marxist party’s demand as one that mocked the “sanctity of the voting process and the integrity of the voter”, Trinamool national spokesperson Derek O’Brien claimed in a statement that the polls were “free and fair”.
“The demand by the CPI(M) for re-polling in over 3,000 booths that saw voting in the recent free-and-fair Lok Sabha election in West Bengal is not only laughable but mocks the sanctity of the voting process and the integrity of the voter.”
Taking a dig at the Communist Party of India-Marxist for making “the demand in Delhi, far away from West Bengal,” O’Brien said it was typical of the opposition outfit, which has “found the ground slipping from under its feet”.
The Trinamool leader said the CPI-M has been “missing” from the state since it was turfed out of office in the 2011 assembly elections and “since its oppression and misrule” ended.
He said the three years of Trinamool rule in the state has been marked by “able and resolute governance”, and exuded confidence the effort would be rewarded by the people when the votes are counted May 16.
He alleged the opposition parties — CPI(M), Congress and the BJP — have realised “their antics have not worked”, and they are certain to be “wiped out”.
Attacking a section of the local media, he said it “hyped up a few sporadic incidents and are making a mountain out of a molehill”.
“This has encouraged the CPI(M), the BJP and the Congress to be a party to such propaganda and disinformation. May 16, the truth shall prevail,” said O’Brien.
The opposition parties, including the CPI-M led Left Front, have accused the Trinamool of indulging in “massive rigging and booth capturing” by unleashing violence and intimidating their polling agents and voters.