The BJP has given a call for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on Monday in protest against alleged rigging and attacks on opposition party members “by ruling Trinamool Congress goons” during elections to 108 municipalities across the state. BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya told reporters here that the shutdown from 6 am to 6 pm will exempt essential services like healthcare, milk supply and media.
"What happened today was not polling but a mockery of democracy. The elections have been reduced to a farce by the ruling party miscreants in almost every municipality in South and North Bengal.
“Several of our agents and candidates were beaten up, but the State Election Commission turned a blind eye," Bhattacharya alleged.
Even voters and journalists were roughed up, he claimed.
The BJP leader said party workers will hit the streets on Monday and urge people to observe the bandh.
"Our MPs Arjun Singh, Sukanta Majumdar and Dilip Ghosh were not allowed to move around… there is total lawlessness and the constitutional machinery has collapsed. In such a situation, we were forced to call for a bandh,” Bhattacharya said.
Meanwhile, the TMC alleged that the bandh call by the BJP was aimed at creating disturbance in the state and causing hardship to people.
"After today's elections, the BJP has realised that it will be reduced to zero in West Bengal. Hence, it has resorted to bandh politics…” TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said.
CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said the saffron party had not "valiantly fought the TMC terror” throughout the day like the Left.
"Now, the BJP wants to hijack the issue by suddenly calling for a ‘Bangla Bandh’... We don't support their proposed strike," Chakraborty said.
However, WBPCC president Adhir Choudhury, who faced a series of protests by TMC supporters in Baharampur Municipality area during his visit to polling stations on Sunday, said “in-principle” he was supporting the bandh call.
“The TMC unleashed unprecedented terror during today's municipal polls. Had Congress been in a position to enforce it, we would have called for a bandh, too," Choudhury said.
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