West Bengal: Alleging Poll Rigging In Barrackpore LS Seat, BJP Demands Re-Election In The Constituency

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday (6 May) demanded a re-election in the Barrackpore parliamentary constituency of West Bengal alleging poll rigging in the Lok sabha seat.

"We demand re-election in the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency because the polls have been rigged there. The election is not taking place in a fair manner. Polling officials and voters are being threatened and central forces are not being allowed to discharge their duty," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, ANI has reported.

The Union Minister alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) “goons” thrashed BJP’s Barrackpore candidate Arjun Singh and that several polling agents were not allowed to enter voting booths in the constituency.

"TMC workers are threatening voters who are not in their favour and not letting them vote. We have received complaints from many places that TMC goons are accompanying voters to the polling stations and pressing the electronic voting machines having their party symbol," the Human Resource Development Minister said.

BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao accused the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC of unleashing violence in the state due to fear of losing elections.

"Mamata Banerjee is losing (the polls) and that is why her party is resorting to rigging. They are also threatening Election Commission officials," he said.