On Sunday (December 19), BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari held a sit-in protest within the office premises of the State Election Commissioner Office to protest against widespread rigging that took place during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls.
As per reports, Adhikari led a delegation of BJP leaders into the State Election Commissioner Office and demanded repolling in the civic body polls. The BJP leader informed that only 20% of electorates could cast their votes and that over 100 incidents of poll irregularities had taken place.
Suvendu Adhikari said, “Most CCTVs were non-functional with papers and stickers pasted on the camera or their connection points pulled out. The chief minister is turning the state into a dictator-run republic” He had also met State Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over the matter and urged him to take action in this regard.
West Bengal | LoP Suvendu Adhikari with BJP delegation hold a sit-in strike inside the State Election Commissioner Office, demanding repolling for today’s KMC election pic.twitter.com/VJEjgMbUEo
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2021
In a video shared by ANI, Suvendu Adhikari was seen having a heated discussion with officials inside the premises of the State Election Commissioner Office.
BJP national president JP Nadda expressed his disappointment that “Mamata Banerjee is using police to manhandle LoP Suvendu Adhikari while he was visiting the State Election Commission” pic.twitter.com/PFJbh7hA8T
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2021
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari stopped from leaving his residence by cops
BJP President JP Nadda tweeted, “It is disappointing that Mamata Banerjee is using police to manhandle senior BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari while he was visiting State Election Commission. Reports of widespread electoral malpractice in KMC and now the misuse of administration doesn’t augur well for democracy.
The tweet by JP Nadda came at the backdrop of high voltage drama outside the residence of Suvendu Adhikari in Salt Lake. On Sunday evening, the BJP leader held a meeting with other party MLAs at his house. Citing a rule by the Election Commission that non-residents cannot enter Kolkata on polling day, the Bidhannagar police cordoned off the area outside Adhikari’s house and physically stopped him from meeting the Governor at Raj Bhavan.
After murdering democracy in KMC polls, Mamata Banerjee plummets to new depths, uses police to manhandle LoP Suvendu Adhikari, tries to stop him from visiting the State Election Commission.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 19, 2021
Whatever she may do, nothing will wash the drubbing she received from him in Nandigram. pic.twitter.com/EF0rsKTAm6
We cannot allow you to proceed to Kolkata as polling is being held and you are not residents of the metropolis,” a high-ranking police official told Suvendu Adhikari.
Adhikari also alleged he was manhandled by a junior police officer, and that the gates of the MLA hostel in Kolkata were locked till 5 pm, preventing eight BJP legislators from attending a legislature party meeting. Later, he met the Governor and asked him to declare the poll as null and void.
The BJP delegation inside the State Election Commission Office had also submitted documents and footage to the election body. The results of the KMC polls will be released on Tuesday (December 21). Voting took place in 144 wards and 4959 polling booths, amidst reports of assault, fake voting and violence.
