Is there a guarantee Sinha will stay in TMC till LS polls: Prasad in bypoll-bound Asansol

Political rivalry of Bihar's Patna Sahib echoed in bypoll-bound Asansol on Saturday as senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad attacked TMC nominee Shatrughan Sinha, whom he had defeated in the neighbouring state, over his frequent camp switches, wondering if he would remain in the TMC till the next parliamentary polls.

Prasad, during a press meet, also expressed concern over the alleged deterioration in the law and order situation of Bengal, further demanding that all polling booths in the Lok Sabha constituency, where bypolls are scheduled on April 12, be manned by CRPF personnel to ensure fair elections.

Noting that Sinha switched loyalties thrice in the last few years, Prasad said, ''What is the guarantee that he will be a part of the TMC until the next Lok Sabha polls. He crossed over to the Congress from the BJP and then joined the TMC. The man I had defeated in Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency has come here to contest to contest elections.'' The electoral battle between Ravi Shankar Prasad and Shatrughan Sinha in Patna Sahib was one of the most talked-about contests during the 2019 Lok sabha polls.

Asked for his reaction to Sinha's assertion that “democracy has turned into autocracy” under the present BJP regime at the Centre, Prasad said the results of recently held assembly polls in four states, including Uttar Pradesh, prove that the people of this country have complete faith in the BJP.

''Democracy also means standing by your party... There can be a lot of discussion on why he switched sides. The lure of the ministerial post is tough to ignore,'' he said.

A popular Bollywood hero of the yesteryears, Sinha had joined the BJP in the early 80s. After quitting the saffron camp in 2019, Sinha, who had served as minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government at the Centre, joined the Congress and unsuccessfully fought from his native Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. Sinha could not be contacted for his reaction as he was busy campaigning in the constituency.

Referring to the recent Birbhum killings, Prasad alleged that West Bengal has turned into a ''police state,'' with people approaching the Calcutta High Court for relief as they were skeptical of police probe.

People no longer depend on the state police for justice delivery, he claimed.

The high court has handed over to the CBI the investigation into Birbhum violence, which claimed nine lives as assailants set houses on fire in Bogtui village on March 21 following the murder of local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh.

The veteran leader called upon the people of Asansol to vote for party candidate Agnimitra Paul.

Meanwhile, senior TMC leader and Minister Firhad Hakim, responding to the attacks made by Prasad on Sinha, sought to know from the BJP leader if he would also have something to say about the TMC leaders who joined the BJP ahead of last year’s assembly elections.

''He (Sinha) was not comfortable with the policies of the BJP, so he left... And if Ravi Shankar Prasad talks about change in loyalties, he must first answer why his party inducted TMC leaders before the assembly polls,'' Hakim said.

In a similar vein, TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, reacting to Prasad's remarks over the state’s law and order situation said, ''The BJP is doing politics over dead bodies. Ravi Shankar Prasad should apologise for casting aspersions on the law and order in West Bengal. Threatening to impose President's rule in West Bengal won't help.'' By-poll to Asansol was necessitated after former Union minister Babul Supriyo resigned from his seat in Parliament after crossing over to the TMC. He has been fielded by the TMC from Ballygunge Assembly seat, which fell vacant after state minister Subrata Mukherjee's death last year. PTI DC SUS PNT ACD RMS RMS