In a letter to senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, the Election Commission (EC) has raised concerns over his public statements about alleged undue influence on 150 District Magistrates (DMs) by BJP leader Amit Shah.
The EC emphasized the sacred duty of Returning Officers (ROs) in counting votes and noted that such statements can cast doubt on the electoral process. Despite no reports of undue influence from any DM, the EC has asked Ramesh to provide details supporting his claims.
This controversy has added another dimension as BJP has raised allegations against CM Mamata Banerjee about the Diamond Harbour constituency, where Mamata Banerjee's nephew is contesting.
There have been allegations that EVMs in several booths, including one in Budge Budge Assembly, had the BJP candidate's voting button taped over.
BJP supporters claim they faced violence from TMC goons and a hostile police force, and were told voting for the BJP was not an option.
Additionally, reports suggest that CCTV cameras were intentionally disabled in Diamond Harbour, Mathurapur, Joynagar, and Jadavpur to facilitate fake voting for the TMC.
These allegations raise serious questions about the legitimacy of Mamata Banerjee's mandate as Chief Minister.
The EC is urged to investigate and ensure that elections in West Bengal are conducted fairly.
Meanwhile, exit polls ahead of the Lok Sabha vote counting on June 4 have sparked controversy.
The INDI alliance partners are challenging their authenticity.
Exit polls indicate average performance for the BJP in Haryana and Maharashtra, which are crucial states with upcoming polls in October. Maharashtra is particularly critical for the BJP. Alliance is confident of winning 24 seats in Uttar Pradesh alone.
There's speculation that the BJP should consider reuniting with JJP in Haryana to consolidate anti-Congress Jat votes.
