EC’s 7-day ban on Trinamool MLA for threatening BJP supporters

The Election Commission has banned Trinamool Congress MLA Naren Chakraborty from holding any public meeting, rally, roadshow or interview for seven days in connection with the campaign for the upcoming Asansol Lok Sabha seat byelection.

This is in response to a complaint on Chakraborty regarding a video that surfaced showing him instructing his party workers to threaten Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters. Chakraborty has been prevented from being part of campaigns for seven days starting 10 am on March 30 to 8 pm on April 6 for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Yesterday, BJP leaders has posted a video of the Trinamool Congress leader speaking to his party workers where he asked them to threaten BJP voters.

“Those who are hardcore BJP supporters and cannot be influenced, have to be threatened. Tell them, ‘if you go to vote, we will assume you will vote for BJP. Then, after the vote, where you will be is your risk. But if you don’t go to vote, we will assume that you are supporting us, and then you will stay well and do your job or business…” Naren Chakraborty was seen telling party workers in Bengali.

The video was shared by BJP’s senior leaders, including IT cell chief Amit Malviya and Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Pandabeswar is under Asansol Lok Sabha seat. A bypoll is scheduled there on April 12, which fell vacant after BJP’s Babul Supriyo quit the party and joined Trinamool Congress.

Trinamool has fielded Shatrughan Sinha and BJP has nominated Agnimitra Paul from the Asansol seat. Babul Supriyo is contesting from Ballygunge Assembly seat for the upcoming byelections.