Kolkata: A six-member delegation of the ruling Trinamool Congress party, led by MP Derek O'Brien, visited the Election Commission office in New Delhi for the West Bengal assembly by-elections and discussed the upcoming assembly elections and other issues with the Chief Election Commissioner.
TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner, said that he has made an appeal to hold the by-elections within six months.
Talking to reporters, he said: "Today, a delegation of the TMC met the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi regarding the by-polls to seven assembly seats. We have appealed for the by-polls to be held within six months."
ALSO READ | WB CM Mamata Banerjee Questions NHRC Report 'Leak', Asks Why PM Modi Sent No Commissions To UP
Sudip Bandyopadhyay further said that the Chief Election Commissioner listened to them and that he hoped the discussion was successful. Trinamool Congress MPs Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Kalyan Banerjee, Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, and Derek O'Brien were part of this delegation.
The byelection is important as Mamata Banerjee needs to be elected into the assembly to be able to remain the Chief Minister of the state. Recently, Tirath Singh Rawat had to resign as Uttarakhand CM as he had not won any assembly constituency and a byelection was not conducted in the state due to the COVID situation.