KOLKATA: Suvendu Adhikari, the fiery Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, has charged the Election Commission with criminal negligence in tackling disruptions to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. His Friday remarks spotlight a pattern of alleged TMC-orchestrated chaos at draft voter list scrutiny centers across the state.
‘The ECI’s response is confined to pathetic advisories—Bengal needs iron-fisted measures!’ Adhikari thundered to journalists. He lambasted the lack of CAPF deployment, invoking the poll panel’s sweeping constitutional powers: ‘You can call in central forces or even the military without a second thought.’
These charges build on BJP’s state chief Samik Bhattacharya’s prior indictment of ECI’s kid-glove treatment of TMC troublemakers, coupled with a plea for the CEC’s on-ground inspection.
Turning prophetic, Adhikari envisioned a twist in minority voting trends for the impending Assembly elections: ‘BJP might not get their votes, but TMC is certainly losing them this round.’ Such assertions hint at brewing discontent that could upend Mamata Banerjee’s stronghold.
The SIR exercise, critical for cleansing voter rolls ahead of polls, now stands as a flashpoint in Bengal’s polarized politics. Adhikari’s ultimatum to the ECI—act decisively or risk eroding public trust—resonates amid whispers of manipulated electorates. Stakeholders watch closely as the Commission navigates this minefield to uphold electoral integrity.