Polls in 7 phases is BJP’s ploy to ‘mobilise funds’ & a ‘conspiracy’: TMC

Kolkata: Strongly objecting to the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing a seven-phase polling schedule for Bengal in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Chandrima Bhattacharya on Saturday said that it was a ploy of BJP to mobilize money to get benefits in the elections.

Bhattacharya also said that voter turnout decreases as the number of phases goes up. Similar incident happened in the 2019 Lok Sabha (LS) elections, she claimed.

She also said that the poll body did not take into account the Bengal government’s views recommending single-phase voting.

“We have seen that voter turnout is more if there are fewer phases. That’s why we demanded a single-phase or two-phase polling.

Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are also big states, but they are voting in one phase. Then why so many phases for Bengal? This is nothing but a tactic to spread fear. Is it a ploy to mobilize money between the phases of elections? They (BJP) have money power,” Bhattacharya said.

She further added: “We always talk about less number of phases only because it ensures a high turnout of voters. If the number of phases goes up, the voter turnout remains pitiably low. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the voter turnout was low as well.”

Trinamool Congress had questioned the alleged hurried appointment of two election commissioners earlier this week after Arun Goel quit as Election Commissioner. “They appointed election commissioners in one day. How is that possible? If one team playing the match appoints the umpire, how do we know the umpire will not be biased?” asked Bhattacharya.

Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray claimed that this was a disregard for the federal structure of the country. “State government’s views were not taken into account. This is a disregard for the federal structure. We fail to understand the reasons for holding such a long election. This is quite surprising,” he said.

The 42 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal will be voting in all seven phases, beginning April 19, along with Uttar Pradesh (80 seats) and Bihar (40 seats). The last phase of polling is on June 1, and the votes will be counted on June 4.

Senior party leader Shashi Panja said: “For their ease of campaign and to malign the state, they will hold elections in multiple phases. That’s why we have requested for one phase.

Last time we saw forces trying to influence people.”