Bengal polls 2021: TMC demands removal of deputy EC Sudeep Jain, alleges 'bias' against party

Kolkata: The ruling TMC in West Bengal on Thursday demanded the removal of Sudeep Jain, the deputy election commissioner in-charge of the state, accusing him of being biased against it and breaking norms of the federal structure.

TMC spokesperson Sougata Roy said that party leader Derek O' Brien has written to the Election Commission demanding that Jain be removed as he had a "track record" of being biased against the party during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"During the last parliamentary poll, Sudeep Jain had taken several steps which were not only against the norms of the Election Commission but also against those of the federal structure. We don't have any faith in him. We (TMC) apprehend that this time too he will take steps which will either directly or indirectly help the BJP," Roy said at a press conference in Kolkata.

"We want him to be removed as in-charge of elections in West Bengal for the sake of free and fair poll. We have already written to the Election Commission where we have placed our demand," he said.

This time, the Assembly election will see a stiff contest between the TMC and BJP and will be held in eight phases beginning with polling in 30 seats on 27 March. Votes cast in the poll for all the 294 seats will be counted on 2 May.

After having a marginal presence in the politically polarised state for decades, BJP has emerged as the main rival over the last couple of years.

It had won 18 out of 42 seats in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 and followed up its quest for strength by inducting TMC MLAs, one of its MPs and ministers into the party.