New Delhi: A day after Assam and West Bengal held the first phase of Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday briefed the media about the peaceful completion of polling in both the states. Addressing the media, Shah said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form government in West Bengal with more than 200 seats and said that after many years, the polling process in Bengal was held without any incident of violence.
He said, “Yesterday, after many years, the polling process was held without any incident of violence in West Bengal. Polling was held peacefully in both West Bengal and Assam. No one died due to poll violence. I want to thank the women of West Bengal for polling in favour of the BJP. BJP will form government in West Bengal with more than 200 seats.”
Further thanking the people of both the states for voting for the party, Shah said, “Voter turnout shows enthusiasm in people.”
The Home Minister added, “After discussions with booth level workers and party leaders, I can say out of 30 seats in West Bengal we will win more than 26 seats. We have got clear indications that BJP will win more than 37 seats out of 47 seats in Assam.”
Speaking to the media about BJP leader Mukul Roy’s call leak row, Shah said that he would like to know how a purported recording of a phone call involving the leader was leaked. He said, “Two BJP leaders were discussing over a phone call the demands made for transfer (of officers). These demands were made in writing. There is nothing secret in this. The question which needs to be raised is that who tapped the phone call.”
On being questioned about Kerala government ordering judicial inquiry against a central agency probing Kerala gold smuggling scam, Shah said, “What else can they (Kerala govt) do for face saving? This is their natural reaction.”