Leader has refuted all allegations.
A day before Lok Sabha election in West Bengal, a purported audio clip of a TMC leader instructing his cadres to ensure 100% votes for the party has gone viral. The leader on his part has denied the allegation and has put blame on BJP.
Cooch Behar Block No 1 President Khokon Miyan virtually warns the voters that they shouldn't prefer any other party during voting. He also says all government officials working there are under him.
Here is the clip.
BJP has submitted the clip to Election Commission and has urged them to take action. BJP leader Utpal Kumar Deb said, "It is clear what Khokon Miyan wants in the instructions given in their party meeting. But such ploys will not be successful as people will stop them".
Zee Media can't independently ascertain whether the clip is genuine or not.
1. What does he say in the clip?
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In the audio clip, that has gone viral, TMC block level leader Khokon Miyan is heard saying that "TMC has to get 100% votes, no other parties should get vote. He says that if someone tries to vote for any other party, they will be identified. This is party's direction".
He also said that Central Forces will not be coming in all booths. Only 40 out of 100 booths will have forces. Khokon said, "From police to BDO, all are under our control. They may be government employees, but they are under me".
Admitting that there is a tough battle in CoochBehar, Khokon said that the workers have to ensure that all booths are covered. If needed, setting with presiding officers have to be done, said the TMC leader. He also gave advice on how to go about rigging votes.
2. What's in stake in Cooch-Behar?
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Located in the India- Bangladesh border, Cooch Behar is another seat in West Bengal where BJP pins high hope. Hence stalwarts PM Modi and Amit Shah are making the rounds to canvas for BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik, who ironically was with TMC till recently. Infact, Coch Behar Lok Sabha election this time around is the battle of turncoats. Pramanik is up against Paresh Chandra Adhikary, who joined TMC recently. Adhikary, a four time Forward Bloc MLA was also a minister in the Left Front government in the state. Bowing to political reality, he joined TMC and has been given ticket.
Here TMC's Partha Pratim Ray in by election in 2016 won with a massive 59% vote share. But he had a fallout with TMC district chief and slowly descended into oblivion. This time, he wasn't given ticket and Adhikary has been preferred.
While there is not much dissent in TMC over giving a turncoat the ticket, the scene is a bit different in the saffron camp. Old timers of BJ[P are unhappy with Nisith Adhikary's candidature and party offices were ransacked initially.
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