New Delhi, March 30 (NationPress) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Monday that a delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has approached the Election Commission of India, presenting a petition that accuses the state of West Bengal of extensive electoral fraud and intimidation.

The delegation comprised notable figures, including Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP's media in-charge Anil Baluni, and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, among others.

After the meeting, Rijiju asserted that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, is attempting to “hijack elections” in the state, thereby denying citizens their democratic right to vote.

“Our delegation has formally met with the Election Commission and submitted a significant petition. The situation in West Bengal reveals that Mamata Banerjee and the TMC are undermining democracy and stripping citizens of their voting rights,” Rijiju stated.

He further emphasized that the BJP has raised alarms over incidents of “hooliganism” and coercive measures being employed during the election process. “Our delegation has brought these issues of TMC’s government hooliganism to the Election Commission's attention, focusing on intimidation, coercing voters, and fostering an environment of fear,” he added.

The submitted petition highlights accusations against the West Bengal Chief Minister for recurrent breaches of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and various electoral and criminal laws. It claims that recent public comments made by Banerjee during electoral rallies in North Bengal reflect a pattern of provocation, intimidation of voters, and implicit incitement to violence.

Specific incidents mentioned include remarks made on March 25 during a rally in Mainaguri, where Banerjee allegedly suggested that residents would be forced to display anti-BJP posters outside their homes. The BJP has characterized these statements as threats to political expression and voter independence.

The petition also references speeches made in Naxalbari and Pandaveswar, where Banerjee purportedly encouraged citizens to “bring out whatever they have at home” amidst perceived pressure on polling and counting days, raising concerns of possible instigation.

Furthermore, the BJP reported an incident in Basanti, where its members were allegedly attacked during campaigning, asserting that such occurrences stem from an “emboldened atmosphere” fostered by the Chief Minister’s rhetoric. The party has also charged the state police with failing to act during these incidents.

The memorandum also highlighted comments made by TMC MP Mahua Moitra, suggesting they could incite divisions along linguistic and regional lines, thereby violating communal harmony.

In light of the provisions under the Model Code of Conduct, the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the BJP has urged the Election Commission to take immediate and decisive action to ensure that elections in the state are conducted freely and fairly.

The BJP maintains that the cumulative impact of these developments has resulted in an atmosphere characterized by fear, coercion, and violence, which poses a threat to the integrity of the electoral process.