Intimidate "committed" BJP workers to ensure that they refrain from casting their votes, TMC MLA Narendranath Chakraborty was heard as telling party supporters in a purported video, which has gone viral.
Chakraborty, the MLA from Pandaveswar, was seen in the video speaking to TMC workers at a party office. Pandaveswar in Paschim Bardhaman district is part of the Asansol Lok Sabha seats where a by-election will be held on April 12.
"Identify the committed BJP workers and intimidate them. Tell them that they will be responsible for their safety and security if they go out to vote," he was heard as saying in the video, the authenticity of which could not be independently verified by PTI. "If they don't cast their votes, we will presume that they are with us. We will consider them as our supporters and help them in all possible ways," he said in the video.
Chakraborty, however, denied making any such statement amid a barrage of attacks by the BJP. "It may be an old video. The then party president of Paschim Bardhaman (Jitendra Tiwari) had made us do many things. He has now joined the BJP," he said.
Senior TMC leader and state minister Firhad Hakim said the party does not approve of such comments as it has faith in people's mandate. "We had won 213 seats as people had rooted for Mamata Banerjee in last year's assembly polls. Our tally swelled as all subsequent elections went in our favour. We have trust in people. They will overwhelmingly vote for us again in the upcoming polls," he said.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said it was a pity that such MLAs were gracing the West Bengal assembly. The BJP also lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over the comments.
BJP leader Sisir Bajoria, who went to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to lodge the complaint, said, "Chakraborty should not be allowed to enter the Lok Sabha constituency, and the poll panel must take action against him, including arrest." The CEO has promised to look into it, he said.
The by-election to the Asansol Lok Sabha seat was necessitated after incumbent BJP MP Babul Supriyo resigned after joining the TMC. The TMC has fielded Shatrughan Sinha in the seat, while BJP nominated Agnimitra Paul and CPI(M) candidate is Partha Mukherjee.
