Mamata fighting EC, not political parties, says PM Modi

Krishnanagar (West Bengal): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who has accepted defeat in the assembly elections, is fighting the battle with the Election Commission and not with other political parties. Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar located in Nadia district, Prime Minister Modi said, "Mamata Banerjee ji is not fighting the elections with other political parties but with the Election Commission. She and her party have accepted the defeat and that is why they are not fighting with any political party but with the Election Commission." "Standing on the verge of defeat, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has lost its mental balance. The Election Commission is an independent authority, which is praised all over the world," he added. Prime Minister Modi also pulled up the TMC chief for making baseless statements instead of replying to the Election Commission's notice on time. "The Election Commission issued a notice to Mamata ji for her language and her behaviour. That was their job. I have heard that Chief Secretary of West Bengal replied to Election Commission's notice issued to Mamata," Prime Minister Modi said. "Your job was to reply to the Election Commission. But you replied saying that you will see the Election Commission after May 19. If this has happened, it's wrong because the Election Commission had issued notice to Mamata Banerjee, the TMC leader not Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister," he added. Reaching out to the voters, the Prime Minister further said Banerjee who has ignored the plight of the people, is focusing more on the syndicate culture. "If Mamata ji would have addressed the sufferings of the people then there would have been no need of her to threaten the Election Commission. Mamata didi is also a part of syndicate culture. Vivekananda flyover case is a result of this culture," he added. "Do you know, former prime minister Indira Gandhi lost her membership for six years because she misused her power. Whether it's the Congress or the TMC, both have similar lineage. Both have destroyed West Bengal," he further said. Unfazed by a showcause notice issued by the Election Commission for violating the Model Code of Conduct during her election rally in Asansol, Banerjee had on Thursday said she did not regret whatever she had said and would say that thousand times. "The Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice over what I had said, but I don't regret and will say it thousand times," Banerjee said while addressing an election rally in Birbhum. "If somebody accuses me of theft, I will seek answer from him, because this is my democratic right," she added. In an apparent reference to the EC, the TMC chief said, "They want to transfer my police officers as well as me. But if I am buried here, you will see me in Delhi. I am not scared and I stand by what I say. These people are dancing to the tunes of the BJP. It won't work. I'll fight back." Asansol went to polls on April 11 and the TMC chief is accused of violating the poll code in an election rally in Asansol where she announced the creation of a new district. Meanwhile, the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls witnessed a voter turnout of 70.33 percent till 3 p.m. on Sunday.