Mamata wants bypolls in Bengal soon, says 'waiting for nod from PM Modi'

Kolkata: Taking a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi by once again saying that the Election Commission of India acts as per his instruction, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for bypolls in the state at the earliest with the Covid situation almost under control in Bengal.

She said the bypolls in seven seats can be held even by giving seven days' time for campaigning. But it has to be held at the earliest and before the third wave arrives.

Banerjee also slammed the Centre for serving a new notice to former Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay accusing the Modi government of "muscle-flexing without following the law" and acting like a "selfish giant". She assured all support of the state government to her Chief Advisor after allowing him to act on the Central notice at his convenience.

She also called the BJP "the biggest disease for everybody" criticising the party for "conspiring to divide Bengal" failing to accept the overwhelming mandate in the recently-concluded Assembly elections.

In connection with the bypolls she said: "We are waiting for the Election Commission (EC) to conduct the bypolls as early as possible as the Covid situation in the state is under control. But the EC acts only when the Prime Minister gives his nod. So I would request the Prime Minister to give instructions for the bypolls. If the third wave comes, it will become difficult to conduct the same."

She further added: "The Covid positivity rate in Bengal was 33 percent at the time of the eighth phase of the Assembly polls. Now, it has gone down to 3 percent. So why delay?"

Bypolls in the state would be held in seven seats – Bhowanipore, Khardah, Gosaba, Dinhata, Shantipur, Shamserganj and Jangipur. Banerjee, who became the Chief Minister for the third consecutive term after a landslide victory by weathering a spiteful campaign by the Opposition, may contest from Bhowanipore as she needs to win a bypoll within six months to become a member of the state's Legislative Assembly and remain in the post as she was declared defeated from Nandigram by a slender margin of 1,956 votes. State Agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee has resigned as MLA from Bhowanipore.

Continued on P4