Bengal Elections 2021: BJP complaints of ‘bribery’ against TMC candidate; shares video with Chief Electoral Officer
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has shared video-graphic evidence of TMC candidate indulged “in all sorts of illegal and corrupt electoral practices.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday wrote a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal requesting to lodge “a complaint of bribery against Shantiram Mahato, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from Balrampur and also a sitting MLA and Minister in West Bengal Government,” reported news agency ANI.
In its letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, BJP alleged that “It is a known fact that leaders of TMC are indulging in all sorts of illegal and corrupt electoral practices.”
The letter further spoke about a tweet published by a media outlet on Twitter handle in the name of – ‘Jan Ki Baat’ which featured Mahato distributing cash amongst the voters ahead of an election in the state.
Check out the tweet mentioned in the letter:
JAN KI BAAT EXCLUSIVE: The CASH FOR VOTES tape on the eve of phase 1 has caused tremors across political circles in West Bengal. Here's the exact moment when TMC's Shantiram Mahato is seen giving cash to a voter@pradip103 #BengalElections2021 #ElectionsWithPradeep pic.twitter.com/0hPxan0UDu
— Jan Ki Baat (@jankibaat1) March 26, 2021
“It is a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct that says: “All parties and candidates shall amid scrupulously all activities which are “corrupt practices ” and offences under the election law..The same also amounts to a “corrupt practice” as Bnbery to voters is both a corrupt practice and an electoral offence under Section 123 (I) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Section 1 71B Of the Indian Penal Code, respectively.” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrote in its letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal.
The party also requested the CEO to adopt “appropriate action against the Sh. Shantiram Mahato, TMC candidate from Balarampur (AC) in light of the provisions of the MCC and IPC.”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) writes to Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal lodging, "a complaint of bribery against Shantiram Mahato, TMC candidate from Balrampur and also a sitting MLA and Minister in West Bengal Government." pic.twitter.com/deV96DnvZQ
— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2021
The recent development comes hours before the beginning of voting for 30 seats in five districts on March 27.
The current political environment in West Bengal ahead of the assembly election appears to be getting murkier and the latest reports strongly hint at a tough competition will be observed between the TMC and BJP.
The polls will be held in eight phases beginning with polling in 30 seats on 27th March. Votes cast in the poll for all the 294 seats will be counted on 2nd May.
