The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in West Bengal has come under fire from Congress leader Shubhankar Sarkar, who claims it has eroded public trust rather than bolstered it. In an interview with IANS in Kolkata, Sarkar dissected the flaws plaguing the voter list updation ahead of the high-stakes assembly elections.
As rival parties gear up—Congress and BJP eyeing government formation, TMC confident of a second term—the state witnesses escalating tensions. Sarkar decried the removal of legitimate voters’ names, fostering widespread intimidation. ‘Conditions are worsening daily,’ he said.
Recalling TMC’s initial resistance to SIR, Sarkar noted Congress’s push for a lawful implementation. However, he slammed the EC for procedural lapses: changing conditions arbitrarily and neglecting Booth Level Officer (BLO) training, leading to heartbreaking outcomes like suicides.
Congress’s roadmap is clear: defeat TMC, sideline BJP, and usher in effective rule. Venturing into Kerala, Sarkar forecasted a Congress government soon, attributing the party’s momentum to its internal democracy.
Bolstering this, Ghulam Ahmad Mir confirmed solo contests on all 294 seats, no truck with TMC. The manifesto, crafted from grassroots inputs addressing Bengal’s core concerns, nears completion within a fortnight, underscoring Congress’s election readiness.