The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised the red rag on the conduct of police personnel in Nandigram, during and before the visit of Trinamool Congress candidate and chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the constituency on Tuesday.
In a letter addressed to the chief electoral officer, BJP has pointed out that Mamata “was accompanied by scores of police personnel on her route to the Office of the Returning Officer today.”
Further, the letter alleges that senior police officials Vivek Sahai and Gyanwant Singh “are using their seniority to disturb and vitiate the atmosphere of free and fair elections.”
Indeed, BJP has made the serious charge that police personnel in plain clothes are threatening voters at the behest of the ruling dispensation. That “police personnel have been forced to act as party cadre of the Trinamool Congress.”
In view of these transgressions, the BJP has demanded immediate suspension and strict action against the errant police officials. Importantly, “the full expenditure incurred on the convoy used by Ms Mamata Banerjee from the state exchequer must also be added to the expenditure account of the candidate.”
It may be recalled that Election Commission had suspended West Bengal’s top cop Virendra yesterday and relieved him from imparting any role during the forthcoming assembly polls, beginning March 27.
