Bhabanipur Bypoll: Mamata ‘Bribed Gurdwara Voters’, Says BJP Candidate Priyanka Tibrewal’s Poll Agent

A day after the election commission reprimanded BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal, who is contesting the Bhabanipur bypoll, for violating Covid-19 safety protocols, her chief election agent (CEA) Sajal Ghosh on Thursday lodged a complaint against her opponent West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Tibrewal’s CEA has alleged that Banerjee bribed voters at the Bhawanipur gurdwara.

In a letter to the returning officer, Ghosh stated, “On September 15, Mamata Banerjee visited Bhawanipur gurdwara with a massive number of people following her with flags and vehicles, exceeding the rules and regulations set by the EC. Her supporters were seen flouting Covid rules. She visited the religious place, influenced and bribed voters by giving offerings at Bhawanipur gurdwara located on 10A, Harish Mukherjee Road, Gokhale Road.”

Ghosh also requested the EC to remove the officer-in-charge of Alipore and Bhowanipur police stations, accusing the official of “acting with a political vendetta and at the behest of a particular political party”.

Tibrewal’s complaint against Mamata came after the returning officer of Bhabanipur constituency sent her a notice stating that she had violated the model code of coduct and Covid-19 safety norms on the day of filing nominations on September 13. The notice also asked her to explain why the permission for her other rallies should not be withdrawn.

In her reply to the EC, Tibrewal said she had followed all the Covid protocols and allegations against her were false.

“I am not aware of any car following me that may have caused congestion. Only Suvendu Adhikari’s car was there. How can I stop general public cars? I went to have an interaction with ward residents and attended a kirtan organised by local residents,” she said.

Tibrewal said she had received a notice from the EC because Banerjee had lodged a complaint against her challenging her nomination.

On September 14, the BJP alleged that the chief minister hid pending criminal cases against her in her nomination papers for the Bhabanipur bypoll.

“I had challenged her nomination and, therefore, she (Mamata) lodged a complaint against me to harass me. I don’t have to fear anything because the people of Bhabanipur are with me,” Tibrewal said.

She also said she had been misquoted when she said she had received many such letters linked to the EC notice against her.

“My statement was, as a lawyer, that I received 100 letters, I read 150 and ignored 200. My comment was nothing to do with the EC notice to me. I have said nothing about or against the EC. I was misquoted,” she said while campaigning at Bhabanipur.

Hitting out at the CM, she said, “Thanks to the BJP, Mamata Banerjee is going to the temple nowadays. Once her party leader Firhad Hakim defined an area in Kolkata as ‘Mini Pakistan’. She also talks about Pakistan.”

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