Kolkata: Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’ Brien accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of horse trading Monday for saying at a poll rally that 40 party MLAs are in touch with him and said it would complain to the Election Commission (EC).
“Expiry Babu PM, let’s get this straight. Nobody will go with you. Not even one councillor. Are you election campaigning or horse trading! Your expiry date is near. Today, we are complaining to the Election Commission. Charging you with horse trading,” Brien tweeted.
Modi while addressing an election rally at Sreerampur in Hoogly district on Monday said that 40 TMC MLAs were in touch with him and will desert their party once BJP wins the general elections.
“Political ground has slipped from under your feet,” Modi said at the rally targeting the TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In another separate development West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the central forces for allegedly firing ‘inside’ a polling booth in Birbhum district and accused the BJP of misusing the forces in the elections.
Stating that the law and order is a state subject, Banerjee said Monday that it is not the job of the central forces to enter polling booths and they should keep vigil outside.
In Dubrajpur area of Birbhum constituency, voters allegedly engaged in a scuffle with the central forces when they were barred from entering booths with mobile phones, a senior election official said. Security personnel reportedly fire in the air to control the mob, following which polling was stalled in the booths, the official said.
“I have heard that the CRPF fired inside a booth in Dubrajpur. I am yet to get the detailed report. CRPF personnel can be deputed outside booths, but they do not have the right to lathicharge or fire,” Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, said while addressing a gathering in North 24 Parganas district.
Violence was reported from several parts of the eight Lok Sabha constituencies where polling was conducted Monday.
Clashes have broke out between the supporters of rival parties (mainly the TMC and the BJP) in Nanoor, Rampurhat, Nalhati and Siuri areas of Birbhum seat, injuring several people.
