Basic HTML Version

|  | Table of Contents |  | View Full Version

Page 6 - The Indian EYE 032026
P. 6

    EYE ON INDIA                                                           MARCH 20, 2026      |  The Indian Eye                    6

                       West Bengal Politics Heats Up

                     Ahead of Polls as TMC Targets

                                       Election Commission

             With assembly elections approaching, a confrontation between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Election
             Commission, coupled with BJP’s aggressive campaign push, has intensified the political climate in West Bengal.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            to assess election logistics. Howev-
                                                                                                                  er, the visit also witnessed protests.
            Kolkata / New Delhi
                                                                                                                  Demonstrators  showed  black  flags
                     ith the West Bengal As-                                                                      to the CEC’s convoy outside Kolkata
                     sembly elections expected                                                                    airport,  reflecting  growing  political
            Win the first half of the year,                                                                       polarisation in the state.
            the state’s political atmosphere is                                                                       Another protest occurred when
            rapidly heating up, marked by esca-                                                                   Kumar visited the Kalighat Temple,
            lating confrontation between the rul-                                                                 where security personnel had to man-
            ing Trinamool Congress (TMC), the                                                                     age demonstrators gathered outside
            opposition  Bharatiya  Janata  Party                                                                  the  premises.  Addressing  reporters
            (BJP), and the Election Commission                                                                    during the visit, Kumar kept his re-
            of India (ECI). The latest flashpoint                                                                 marks brief and largely ceremonial.
            has emerged over the TMC’s move                                                                           “My greetings to all the broth-
            to initiate impeachment proceedings                                                                   ers and sisters of West Bengal. May
            against Chief Election Commissioner                                                                   Goddess  Kali  bless  everyone.  Jai
            (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, a step that                                                                      Bharat, Jai Hind,” he said.
            underscores growing tensions around                                                                       Election  officials,  however,  em-
            electoral processes in the state.                                                                     phasised that preparations were
                TMC leaders say the move re-                                                                      proceeding normally. Subrata Gup-
            flects  deep  dissatisfaction  with  the    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the new State Governor    ta,  Special  Roll  Observer  for  West
            conduct of the Election Commission,                                                                   Bengal, said the focus remains on
            particularly regarding the Special In-  Ravindra Narayan Ravi at the swearing-in ceremony of the Governor at Lok Bhavan, Kolkata,   ensuring a peaceful and transparent
            tensive Revision (SIR) of electoral                       on Thursday (ANI Photo)                     electoral process.
            rolls in West Bengal. The ruling party                                                                    “In a democracy, everyone has
            alleges that irregularities in the voter   SP MP, Rajiv Rai, said concerns over   the election commission. Contest in   the right to protest,” Gupta said,
            list revision have disenfranchised vot-  the electoral roll had been raised ear-  Pakistan or Bangladesh,” he said.  adding  that  consultations  with  offi-
            ers and created unrest on the ground.  lier but ignored.                BJP leader Dilip Ghosh echoed   cials, political parties and the media
                TMC MP Saugata Roy said the       “We  stand  with  the  TMC  on   similar sentiments, accusing the   would  help  finalise  arrangements.
            party is mobilising support across op-  the impeachment motion. I was the   TMC of attempting to manufacture   “The election will be conducted in a
            position ranks in Parliament to pur-  one who raised my voice against the   controversies  to  maintain  political   completely peaceful manner.”
            sue  the  motion.  “We  are preparing   Election Commission over the issue   relevance. “To show their existence,   Meanwhile,  the  BJP  is  acceler-
            an impeachment motion against the   of  fifteen  thousand  names  missing   to save their existence, they are   ating its campaign preparations. The
            Chief Election Commissioner. More   from  the  voters’  list and  remained   bringing all kinds of impeachments,”   party’s Central Election Committee
            than 100 MPs are supporting us. We   unheard,” Rai said.            he said, also pointing out that the op-  has held meetings to finalise candi-
            might submit it today. The Opposi-    However, the BJP has dismissed   position’s earlier no-confidence mo-  dates for the upcoming polls, report-
            tion will be seen united on this,” Roy   the move as a political stunt aimed   tion against the Lok Sabha Speaker   edly discussing around 160 constitu-
            told ANI.                         at deflecting attention from electoral   had collapsed.             encies  and  finalising  candidates  for
                The impeachment effort comes   challenges facing the ruling party in   The dispute has unfolded along-  nearly 145 seats out of the 294-mem-
            after the opposition failed to push   the state.                    side heightened political activity on   ber assembly.
            through  a  no-confidence  motion     Union Minister Sukanta Ma-    the ground as the Election Commis-    The convergence of these devel-
            against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Bir-  jumdar sharply criticised the TMC,   sion intensifies preparations for the   opments—parliamentary confronta-
            la. Roy described that development   questioning its trust in India’s dem-  polls. Chief Election Commissioner   tion over the Election Commission,
            as a missed opportunity to challenge   ocratic institutions. “TMC is raising   Gyanesh Kumar recently visited Kol-  protests during the CEC’s visit, and
            what he described as procedural bi-  questions  on  the  Supreme  Court   kata along with Election Commis-  the BJP’s aggressive campaign plan-
            ases in Parliament.               and the Election Commission. If   sioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi   ning—has set the stage for a politi-
                Opposition parties have begun   you don’t trust all of India’s consti-  to review readiness for the upcoming   cally charged contest in West Bengal.
            expressing support for the move.   tutional institutions, then questions   elections.                 As the election approaches, the state
            Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra     arise about you. Then what’s the jus-  The three-day visit included   appears headed toward a high-stakes
            Yadav indicated that his party stands   tification for you contesting elections   meetings  with  administrative  offi-  battle that could once again reshape
            with the TMC on the issue. Another   here? Go contest where you accept   cials, political parties and the media   its political landscape.

                                                                   www.TheIndianEYE.com

| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 |