News Analysis India

Tag: Bhowanipore bypoll

  • ‘Won’t be able to continue as CM If…’ Mamata seeks every single vote in Bhowanipore

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA: Kicking off her by-election campaign in Bhowanipore, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged the electorates to vote for her saying otherwise she would not be able to continue as the chief minister of the state. 

    “A single vote is very important to me. If you don’t cast your vote thinking that Didi will surely win this election, it will be a major mistake. If there is heavy rain or storm, don’t sit idle at home…cast your vote. Otherwise, I will not able to continue as the chief minister. You will get another new chief minister,” said Mamata while addressing a rally at Ekbalpore. The tone and tenor of Mamata’s appeal is said to be a reflection of his desperation to win the by-election. Even after Trinamool Congress secured a thumping majority in the recent Assembly elections by bagging 213 out of 292 seats, Mamata appealed to get every single vote in her favour. 

    The BJP, which has emerged as Mamata’s contender in Bhowanipore, did not miss the opportunity to highlight the chief minister’s “appeal for single vote” for its political gain. “The tide in Bhowanipore is not exactly what Mamata Banerjee had expected. It seems she has sensed that the going is getting tougher for her as polling day draws closer. She has now been forced to come out and campaign. But the silence of the voters is where the real story lies,” tweeted BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya. 

    Reiterating the conspiracy theory against her citing the Nandigram mishap in which she was injured, Mamata said, “The incident was aimed to kill her. I got sandwiched between the door of my vehicle and front seat. They targeted my throat. But fortune favoured me and my life was saved as I received injuries on my leg. I still suffer from pain.” 

    The chief minister had carried out her month-long poll campaign on a wheelchair with her plastered left feet and the BJP had alleged it was to draw the sympathy of the voters of Bengal.     

    Mamata, while addressing rallies, had not missed the opportunities to narrate her plight displaying her injured feet. 

    Meanwhile, BJP’s newly appointed West Bengal state president Sukanta Majumdar and other functionaries were not allegedly allowed by police to campaign for the by-election in the Bhowanipore Assembly constituency near Mamata Banerjee’s residence on Wednesday. 

    The BJP alleged they were waylaid on Harish Chatterjee Road which leads to the residence of the chief minister who contesting in the by-poll to retain her chief ministerial tenure. Police said the BP functionaries did not have vaccination certificates and tried to breach the high-security zone.

  • BJP not to contest Bengal Rajya Sabha bypoll, says focus on Bhowanipore byelection

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA: The West Bengal chapter of the BJP on Monday decided not to contest the Rajya Sabha by-election scheduled to be held on October 4 saying the “outcome is predetermined”. 

    The party said it is now focused on the by-election in Bhowanipore, where Mamata Banerjee is contesting, to make sure ‘’unelected CM’’ to be ‘’unelected’’ once again.

    The ruling TMC has nominated Sushmita Dev, who recently defected from the Congress, for the by-poll which was necessitated after TMC leader Manas Bhunia vacated the seat of the upper house of the Parliament after winning the recent Assembly elections. The TMC controls 11 of 16 Rajya Sabha seats from Bengal while Congress has two and CPI(M) one.  

    “BJP will not nominate any candidate for Rajya Sabha bypoll due in West Bengal. The outcome is predetermined. Our focus is to make sure the unelected CM to be unelected once again. Jai Ma Kali,” tweeted Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, who defeated Mamata in Nandigram in the recent Assembly election. 

    ALSO READ | Bhowanipore bypoll: Won’t let India become Taliban or Pakistan, says Mamata

    Mamata decided to contest in her erstwhile Bhowanipore Assembly constituency to retain her chief ministerial berth as the deadline to continue as the CM of the state ends on November 5. 

    The BJP’s West Bengal unit did not contest the Rajya Sabha by-election on August 9 which paved the way for TMC nominee and former bureaucrat Jawahar Sircar to be elected unopposed. 

    A source in the saffron camp said the decision not to contest in the Rajya Sabha by-election was taken following a nod from the high command. “There is no point of contesting in the by-election. Now our main goal is the Bhowanipore by-poll. We will go all out to reduce the winning margin of TMC candidate Sovandeb Chattopadhyay which was around 28,000 in the recent Assembly elections. If we can meet our target, it will deliver a message that Mamata Banerjee’s popularity is downwards even after her party’s impressive performance in the Assembly elections,” said a BJP leader. 

    Bhowanipore constituency has 40% electorates who do not speak Bengali. The BJP is banking on this particular set of voters to challenge TMC’s winning margin in the upcoming by-election.

  • Quarantine centres to reopen post-Bhowanipore bypoll: Kolkata civic body’s Covid advisory sparks controversy

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: The notification to reopen institutional quarantine and safe home services in Kolkata after September 30, the day scheduled for the Bhowanipore bypoll, has sparked quite a debate. The bizarre letter of advisories was issued by the chief health officer of Kolkata Municipal Corporation in the wake of the rising Covid cases in the state capital.

    Mentioning the date in the advisories by the Trinamool Congress dominated civic body is said to be politically significant as reopening of quarantine centres and safe homes before the election day might give the BJP a chance to demand postponing the by-poll citing Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Institutional quarantine and Safe Home services may be reopened if required (but after 30.09.2021 after Bhwanipur Assembly Election) to contain Covid situation in Kolkata during and after Durga and Kali pujas,’’ the letter says.

    Sources in the state health department said mentioning the by-poll date in the letter was unnecessary. “No one knows what will be the Covid pandemic situation after a week. How can we set up a time restriction for opening quarantine centres and safe home facilities,’’ asked an official of the state health department.

    The ruling Trinamool Congress said the mention of the by-poll in the advisories might give BJP a scope to raise the pandemic issue. “The BJP was against the by-election citing the Covid pandemic and aiming at Mamata Banerjee’s resignation from the post of the chief minister. She needs to be elected as an MLA by November 5 and if the by-election is deferred, she will have no option but to step down from the post of the CM as there will be a month-long festive season in October. Besides, no one knows what the Covid situation will be after the festive season,’’ said a senior TMC leader.

    BJP’s Bengal chapter alleged that the advisory reflects the state government’s mood to suppress the actual Covid infection picture to ensure Mamata Banerjee’s seamless tenure as the chief minister. “If quarantine centres and safe homes are reopened before the by-poll, the question of conducting the election amid pandemic may be raised. This is why the advisory clearly mentioned the facilities can be reopened after the by-election,” said a BJP leader.

  • Bhowanipore bypoll: Priyanka Tibrewal’s ‘receive 100 letters’ comment demeaning for EC, says TMC

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: BJP candidate for Bhabanipur assembly by-poll Priyanka Tibrewal on Thursday courted controversy when she allegedly said she regularly “receives 100 letters, reads 150 and ignores 200 others”, prompting the Trinamool Congress to claim that she demeaned the Election Commission.

    The EC had sent a notice to her on Wednesday, following a complaint by the TMC that she violated COVID-19 protocols as a large number of people accompanied her during the filing of nomination papers.

    Tibrewal, who is contesting against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur by-poll, later said her comment has nothing to do with the EC notice and she was misquoted by a section of the media.

    While the TMC condemned the alleged statement of Tibrewal, the BJP sided with her.

    The BJP candidate has already replied to the EC notice claiming she did not violate the Covid protocols, she apparently lost her cool on Thursday when asked to comment on the poll panel’s missive again by newspersons.

    “I get 100 letters, I read 150 letters, I ignore 200 others,” Tibrewal said While talking to mediapersons during campaigning.

    Video footage of her purportedly making the comment was shown on various news channels.

    Later, Tibrewal said she did not make any comment against the EC and never shows disrespect to any institution.

    “My statement was, as a lawyer, I receive 100 letters, I read 150 letters and I ignore 200 others. My comment has nothing to do with the EC notice to me. I have said nothing against the EC. I was misquoted,” she said.

    TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed that only the BJP is able to make such a comment.

    “I can only say this is demeaning for the EC and it should take note of the comment,” TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

    As Tibrewal has no popular base, she is making such remarks to be in news, claimed senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim.

    BJP West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh, however, said, “The Trinamool Congress is trying to disturb her as it has got scared of her popularity and fighting spirit.”

  • Bhowanipore bypoll: Won’t let India become Taliban or Pakistan, says Mamata

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP of exploiting religions for politics. Referring to her recent visit to a mosque, Mamata said the BJP circulated the video footage of her visit to the shrine and accused her of practising the politics of appeasement. 

    While interacting with Gujrati electorates in by-poll bound Bhowanipore Assembly constituency, she said, “When I visit temples and other religious places, they become mum. Before the Assembly elections, they described Nandigram, where a conspiracy was hatched to defeat me, as mini Pakistan and now they are again adding the colour of religion in Bhowanipore. I would not let India become Taliban or Pakistan.” 

    The non-Bengali voters in Bhowanipore, who form 40% of the total electorates, are under the scanner of both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Both the rival political forces are desperate to woo them.

    Mamata on Wednesday visited a Gurudwara in Bhowanipore in a bid to secure the support of Sikh voters, and on Thursday, she interacted with Gujrati electorates at the Ladies Park in the constituency. 

    ALSO READ | CBI summons Mamata Banerjee’s election agent Sheik Sufian in post-poll violence case

    Mamata urged the people to dethrone the BJP from the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “The general election will be very important. For the sake of the country, we must dethrone the BJP from power,” she said. 

    The BJP, which keeps hitting out at Mamata over the issue of appeasement politics, sharpened its attack on her from the day she visited the mosque. The party said her intention was to consolidate Non-Bengali voters in the constituency who can easily decide the fate of the candidate of any party. “Ahead of the recent Assembly elections, she (Mamata) labelled our party as a political outfit comprising non-Bengali speaking persons. Now she is seeking blessings from the same set of voters. If we can successfully consolidate the non-Bengali voters in our favour, Mamata’s journey in the by-election will not be a cakewalk,” said a senior BJP leader.  

    In another development, Sajal Ghosh, the chief election agent of BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal, lodged a complaint with the returning officer of the constituency accusing Mamata of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and Covid protocols while visiting the Gurudwara on Wednesday. 

    The returning officer had issued a notice to Priyanka on Wednesday for the alleged violation of MCC and Covid norms while filing her nomination.

  • Bhowanipore bypoll: BJP accuses Mamata Banerjee of violating COVID norms during campaigning

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The BJP on Thursday complained to the Election Commission alleging that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee violated COVID norms set by the EC while campaigning for the Bhowanipore bypoll.

    Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, is contesting from Bhowanipore where by-election will be held on September 30.

    In a letter to the EC, Sajal Ghosh, the chief election agent of BJP candidate for the constituency, Priyanka Tibrewal, claimed that Banerjee, during a visit to a Gurudwara on Wednesday, was accompanied by a large number of supporters in violation of norms.

    “On September 15, the TMC candidate violated the Covid guidelines and Model Code of Conduct while visiting the Bhawanipur Gurudwara,” Ghosh said in his letter to the Returning Officer for the assembly segment.

    He claimed that her supporters also flouted Covid norms by not wearing masks and they did not use sanitiser. The TMC dubbed the allegations as “baseless and politically motivated”.

  • Bhowanipore bypoll: BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal gets notice for poll code violation

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: The returning officer of Bhowanipore Assembly constituency issued a notice to BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal, who is contesting against CM Mamata Banerjee in the by-election scheduled to be held on September 30, citing alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and established Covid-19 protocols while filing her nomination. 

    The poll panel’s move came after the Trinamool Congress alleged that Priyanka violated the MCC and Covid-related restrictions by gathering a mob of not less than 500 without any permission. 

    In the complaint, it was also alleged that she even performed ‘Dhunuchi Nach’ (traditional Bengali dance during Durga Puja) at places on the way to file her nomination. 

    ALSO READ | Bhowanipore bypoll: BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal holds rally ahead of filing nomination

    The returning officer referred to the report submitted by the officer-in-charge of Bhowanipore police station where he mentioned traffic snarl triggered by the massive assembly of BJP supporters. 

    Priyanka, in her reply, refused to accept the allegation. “I had not led any crowd. It is not my duty to see who was on the road on bikes and four-wheelers. It’s the job of the police and the local administration,” she said. 

    Claiming that she had followed all protocols, Priyanka said, “I would like to point out that other than Suvendu Adhikari, there was no one in the vehicle in which I travelled to file my nomination.”

    It was Adhikari, former lieutenant of Mamata, who defeated the Chief Minister in Nandigram.

  • Bhowanipore bypoll: ‘Mamata Banerjee hasn’t mention criminal cases in nomination paper’, alleges BJP

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: The BJP on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not make a mention about pending criminal cases in her nomination papers for the Bhowanipore bypoll.

    Sajal Ghosh, the chief election agent of the saffron party’s candidate for the constituency, Priyanka Tibrewal, wrote to the EC, raising objections to Banerjee’s declaration. “I beg to object to the nomination/declaration filed by Mamata Banerjee on the ground that the candidate has failed to disclose particulars of the pending criminal proceedings against her,” he said.

    Ghosh, in his letter, also made a note of the number of cases filed at different police stations in Assam against Banerjee.

  • Bhowanipore bypoll: Mamata pays surprise visit to mosque to consolidate Muslim vote

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA: Hours after BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal filed her nomination for Bhowanipore by-election, her contender and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee paid a surprise visit to a mosque in the area to seek blessing ahead of the electoral battle which she needs to win to continue as the administrative head of the state. 

    Mamata visited Sola Ana Masjid in the area and talked to the maulvis of the mosque. The visit was not in her scheduled itineraries but she decided to make the surprise visit. 

    Three wards—63, 77, and 82, of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, which falls under Bhowanipore Assembly constituency, has nearly 45% cent Muslim electorates and insiders in the ruling Trinamool Congress said Mamata’s mosque visit was aimed to consolidate that particular set of voters in her favour. 

    ALSO READ | Bhowanipore bypoll: BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal files nomination

    “This is the most important by-election in the recent past. Mamata Banerjee is the first chief minister of Bengal who is contesting in a by-election to get elected as an MLA after being defeated in the general elections. She wants to leave no stone unturned. Muslim vote-bank supported our party en bloc in the recent Assembly elections reducing the legislative count of Congress and Left Front to zero. Her mosque visit is said to be a move to ensure the support of the voters of the particular community,” said a senior TMC leader. 

    Eyeing the support of Hindu electorates, a BJP candidate visited the Kalighat temple on Saturday. “Our effort will be to consolidate both Hindu and non-Bengali speaking electorates in our favour. The constituency has around 40% electorates who are not Bengalis,” said a BJP leader. 

    The by-election in Bhowanipore was necessitated after elected TMC MLA Shovandeb Chattopadhyay stepped down to facilitate Banerjee’s chief ministership following her defeat in Nandigram, East Midnapore. Mamata lost to her former lieutenant and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari by around 1,900 votes and Chattopadhyay bagged victory with a margin of around 28,000 votes.  

    Since Mamata failed to win in Nandigram, the deadline of her tenure as the chief minister now is November 5.

  • Bhowanipore bypoll: BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal files nomination

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal on Monday filed her nomination for the assembly bypoll in Bhowanipore where she is up against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress candidate. Bhowanipore will go to the polls on September 30 and the results will be declared on October 3.

    The CPM has fielded lawyer Srijib Biswas from the seat, while Congress has refrained from taking part in the by-election. Tibrewal, also a lawyer, filed her nomination at the Survey Building in Alipore. She was accompanied by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and BJP MP Arjun Singh, among other senior party leaders.

    অত্যাচারী সরকারের মুখ মমতা ব্যানার্জীর বিরুদ্ধে মনোনয়ন পত্র পেশের আগে গোলমন্দিরে এসে ঈশ্বরের আশীর্বাদ নিলামBefore submitting the nomination papers against Mamata Banerjee, the face of unjust tyrannical oppressive government; I came to Golmandir to receive the blessings of God. pic.twitter.com/RDze502shb
    — Priyanka Tibrewal (@impriyankabjp) September 13, 2021
    TMC’s Sovandeb Chattopadhyay who won the election from Bhabanipur resigned, prompting the Election Commission to declare a by-election so that Banerjee could fight it, having lost the election to Adhikari from Nandigram.

    Banerjee has to get elected by November 5 to retain her chief minister’s post.