TMC demands cancellation of Suvendu Adhikari's candidature from Nandigram

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission (EC) to remove Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari's name from the electoral roll of Nandigram claiming that the latter 'had filed false particulars of his residence'.

TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien in his letter to the EC also sought the initiation of criminal proceedings against Adhikari for "furnishing false particulars". Adhikari, who recently quit the TMC and joined the saffron party, is contesting the upcoming Assembly elections from Nandigram on a BJP ticket against TMC Chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

O'Brien, in his letter, pointed out that Adhikari had declared in the affidavit that his name was entered in the electoral roll for Nandigram Assembly Constituency (AC). However, his name also appears on the electoral roll of Haldia AC, the TMC leader claimed.

"As per Section 17 of the Representation of The People Act 1951 (RP Act), no person shall be registered as a voter in more than one constituency," reads the letter. It further states that Adhikari had filed an application for migration of his name from the electoral rolls of Haldia AC to Nandigram AC with false particulars of his residence.

TMC has claimed that the BLO at the time of field visit for verification of the residential address of Adhikari did not find him residing at the Nandanayakbar village — declared as his residential address — in the past six months.

"As per Section 19 of RP Act, only a person who is 'ordinarily resident' in a constituency may be registered as a voter in the electoral rolls of such constituency. Hence, he is not entitled to a migration," the letter cites.

The TMC has also furnished relevant documents substantiating its complaint in this regard. Bengal goes to polls in eight phases from March 27 to April 29 while voting in Nandigram will be held on April 1 during the second phase.

The Election Commission has sought a report from the District Magistrate regarding the matter.

Meanwhile, hundreds of women at Nandigram block II staged a demonstration in front of Suvendu Adhikari when he went there to attend a programme. The locals were found showing him shoes and shouting slogans "chor chor chor ta, ei Sisir babur chele ta".