Ready for polls in any number of phases: TMC

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh on Sunday reacted to the Election Commission’s announcement of Assembly elections in West Bengal in two phases, saying the ruling party was

ready even for a single-phase poll but expected the poll panel to remain impartial.

Reacting to the poll announcement on its official X handle, the TMC said: “How many phases will it take for the people of Bengal to decisively reject Bangla-Birodhi BJP once and for all? Answer Jotoi Koro Hamla, #AbarJitbeBangla #BoycottBJP.”

The Election Commission announced polling in West Bengal on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4. Voting will be held in 152 Assembly constituencies in the first phase and in the remaining 142 seats in the second phase.

Reacting to the announcement, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh questioned the neutrality of the poll panel but said the party was prepared for any schedule.

“Is the Commission itself neutral? Gyanesh Kumar himself is not neutral. We are ready even for a single-phase election. Our only demand is that the Commission remains neutral,” Ghosh told reporters.

He said no legitimate voter should be excluded from the electoral process.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Ghosh said the party’s strategy on which seats it would contest was “an illusion” and expressed confidence that the Trinamool Congress would win the Nandigram Assembly seat.

Ghosh said the election would be fought against the Centre’s “politics of vengeance” against Bengal. He claimed the TMC would win more than 250 seats and Mamata Banerjee would return as Chief Minister.

Sources said TMC is likely to announce its candidate list on Tuesday.