CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra today lashed out at Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, saying the Election Commission should issue a letter to her for “challenging” it.
“The way she is challenging the EC, the Commission should issue a letter to her. If needed the EC can defer the election. It has powers,” Mr. Mishra, who is the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, told a press conference.
Referring to the Commission’s show-cause notice to the West Bengal Chief Minister yesterday, Mr. Mishra, who is also a CPI (M) Politburo member, said, “I don’t know what letter was issued to her. But the issue which was mentioned was small.”
Ms. Banerjee reportedly did not take kindly to the show-cause notice issued to her and showed her anger towards the EC for acting this way.
CEC Nasim Zaidi had said here yesterday that a show-cause notice was sent to Ms. Banerjee as she had promised “creation” of a new district of Asansol at an election meeting. “She also made some other utterances which violated the model code of conduct,” he had said.
Mr. Mishra said, “We don’t know what the Commission can do to her. It is their matter. Earlier she used to scare the people. Now she is scaring the EC. But we asked the people to safeguard their rights with all their might. We don’t depend on anyone. We depend on the people,” he said.
