War of words continues on eve of elections

Trinamool Congress members attack WBSEC; Opposition leader trains guns on Mamata

The Trinamool Congress continued its attack on West Bengal State Election Commissioner Mira Pande on the eve of the five-phase polls here on Wednesday.

Party general secretary Mukul Roy accused Ms. Pande of colluding with Opposition parties and Maoists to create unrest. Referring to a remark by Advocate General Bimal Chatterjee likening the WBSEC to a “beautiful lady” throwing tantrums, Transport Minister and Trinamool MP Madan Mitra said he did not find the poll panel “beautiful”.

Addressing party workers at a public rally at Chapra in Nadia district, Mr. Roy said the ruling party was, in fact, restrained in its attacks on the WBSEC considering the latter was providing support to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Congress, the BJP and the Maoists.

“One should not construe our restraint as a weakness,” he said.

Speaking at a rally at Mangalkot in Bardhaman district, Mr. Mitra said: “The commission had got angry when it was described as a beautiful woman throwing tantrums. Had I been in his place, I wouldn’t have made the comment. I don’t find the Commission beautiful,” said Mr. Mitra.

Leader of the Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra, on the other hand, criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for initiating the attack on the commission and said “she should behave in a responsible manner”.

Referring to Ms. Banerjee’s remark that she would remove the Commission if she had a two-third majority in the House, Dr. Mishra — a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo — ridiculed her “ignorance of the Constitution”.

“It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister, who swears by the Constitution all the time, is ignorant about its provisions. By making such ignorant comments, she is embarrassing herself as well as the whole State,” he said.