Electoral Roll Controversy: TMC and BJP Trade Blows in West Bengal

TMC's Sushmita Dev accuses BJP of voter deletion akin to an 'Emergency' as electoral integrity concerns mount. TMC and BJP exchange allegations of fraud and intimidation in the lead-up to West Bengal elections. The controversy centers around voter list revisions, with over 61 lakh names reportedly altered.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev has launched a fierce critique against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission, alleging that voter names were erased to undermine the TMC in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. Dev described the political climate as reminiscent of the Emergency period.

She further claimed that both the BJP and the Election Commission of India (ECI) have generated a crisis in Bengal, akin to an emergency, through the massive deletion of voters' names. This comes amid allegations from TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee of voter fraud involving missing registration forms, purportedly linked to BJP's actions.

The BJP, on the other hand, has filed its concerns with the ECI, accusing the TMC of attempting to 'hijack' the electoral process in West Bengal. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju highlighted these issues during a joint press conference, accusing the TMC of generating a fearful atmosphere to sway the election outcome.