TMC complains to EC, claims poll code violation by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Monday complained to the Election Commission of India alleging that BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari breached the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by making communal remarks during a campaign rally for the byelection to Taldangra assembly constituency.

In West Bengal, bypolls will be held in six assembly constituencies on November 13, necessitated due to resignations of sitting MLAs of the six segments following their victory in this year's Lok Sabha elections.

The TMC, in a complaint letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, alleged that the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, "made inflammatory and communal remarks" violating the MCC.

The TMC sought immediate intervention from the Election Commission of India in enforcing "appropriate penal action including strict censorship of Suvendu Adhikari and BJP as a stakeholder political party for palpable violation of Model Code of Conduct.

A 3-member TMC delegation, comprising leaders Kunal Ghosh, Shashi Panja and Jay Prakash Majumdar submitted the complaint to the office of the CEO, West Bengal on Monday along with excerpts of the alleged remarks made by Adhikari, the party said.

The ruling party in West Bengal claimed Adhikari targeted the AITC, the party's Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam and also neighbouring country Bangladesh, in his speech on November 9 for the bypolls to Taldangra constituency in Bankura district.

The letter claimed that the BJP leader, in his speech, said: "Have you seen the photos from Bangladesh? They have destroyed 596 temples. What atrocities were committed against Hindus and Tribals? They (AITC) want to turn West Bengal into a second Bangladesh".

Maintaining that such statements are not only unacceptable in Indian democratic norms, "but also baseless as well as highly communal in nature.

The TMC urged the Election Commission of India to issue "immediate strong directives" to BJP to prevent any "further breach of MCC."