West Bengal Assembly Elections | Nandigram RO was threatened, says Mamata

Returning Officer was threatened, she alleges

Mamata Banerjee.

Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Monday said her party would approach the court on the Nandigram election results. Speaking to journalists outside her residence, Ms. Banerjee said the Returning Officer for Nandigram received threats to his life if he ordered a recounting of votes for the constituency.

While she lost from Nandigram, the TMC has won 213 seats of the 292 that went to polls in West Bengal. 

“Everywhere there is one result; at one place it is different. Where did the 8,000 votes lead disappear? Then suddenly the server went slow for four hours, and then there was load shedding for 40 minutes. They have changed many things including machines,” Ms Banerjee alleged. 

She raised questions on reasons for the Election Commission to refuse a recounting of votes. “Anyone can demand recounting of votes. What stake has the Election Commission to deny re-counting,” Ms. Banerjee asked. 

Ms. Banerjee also brought to fore a purported message that the Returning Officer of Nandigram which he had allegedly sent to an acquaintance, stating that his life was under threat. “Look at the situation — the RO says there is a threat on his life if he orders a re-counting,” she said, as she asked a journalist to read out. 

“Sir, it is not in my preview ( purview). Sir, Plz save me. My family will ruin. I have no other option, but to commit suicide. Life threat is coming. I may be murdered. I had nothing to do. Plz forgive me. I have little daughter,” the purported message shown by the TMC chief read. 

Nandigram which witnessed the most high-profile campaign, kept both the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party on tenterhooks late on Sunday evening . After the end of the 17 rounds of counting, the ECI website announced that BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari had defeated Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee by a margin of 1,956 votes. About 1,10,764 votes were polled in the favour of Mr. Adhikari while Ms. Banerjee got 1,08,808 votes. 

Meanwhile, the supporters of the Trinamool Congress continued to stage protests outside the counting centre in Purba Medinipur district. Ms. Banerjee said the protests will be lifted only after Election Commission ensures that the EVMs used for polling in Nandigram will be properly preserved.