kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Kolkata, 6 May: Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee has launched a sharp and explosive attack on the election process, alleging large-scale manipulation and “vote loot” following the recent results that handed a clear majority to the BJP in West Bengal.

Speaking to the media, Banerjee rejected the mandate and claimed that the verdict did not reflect the true will of the people. He asserted that the party had not lost the election but was instead “made to lose” through systematic electoral malpractice.

He alleged that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were tampered with or replaced during the process, claiming that serial numbers on Form 17C did not match the machines that were later found at counting tables. He further stated that multiple complaints had been received from constituencies such as Kalyani and Memari, where similar irregularities involving EVMs were reported.

Banerjee also claimed that in nearly a hundred assembly constituencies, discrepancies of this nature had surfaced. He alleged that polling agents were forcibly removed from counting centres around 2 PM, raising concerns over transparency in the counting process.

He questioned the fairness of the results, pointing out alleged inconsistencies during counting rounds. According to him, while several rounds of counting were still pending, early trends were selectively shown in the media suggesting a BJP lead, which he described as misleading.

Citing a court directive, he alleged that central government personnel were disproportionately deployed at counting centres while state officials were sidelined. He specifically referred to East Midnapore, where he claimed only central forces were present, calling it part of a larger pattern of irregularities.

Banerjee further questioned the scale of the mandate, claiming that the margin between the BJP and Trinamool Congress was around 32 lakh votes. He alleged that nearly 30 lakh voters were removed from the rolls, while 7 lakh new voters were added, and additional manipulation of 10–15 lakh votes occurred during counting.

He demanded the release of CCTV footage from counting centres, particularly from after 12 noon, alleging that incidents of intimidation and irregularities would be visible in the recordings. He challenged the Election Commission to make all footage public if the result truly reflected the people’s mandate.

Calling the verdict questionable, Banerjee urged transparency and accountability from the Election Commission, insisting that the truth behind the counting process must be made public.