“Outsiders will be sent to Bengal on poll day to loot votes,” Mamata Banerjee asks voters to be cautious

West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked people to be cautious while casting their votes. Elections are scheduled in eight phases in the state, starting from March 27 to April 29. Results are out on May 2.

Banerjee spoke at two public rallies – in Gobiballavpur and Lalgarh – both in the Jhargram district, which go to the polls in the first phase on March 27. The Trinamool chief asked people to be sure their votes had been cast. She also asked her party workers to ensure the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) functioned normally when they are inside booths. “I have information that people from outside will be brought in trains few days before elections, and they will capture booths and loot votes,” she said, adding, “be careful and check that your votes have been cast”, and “be patient”.

BJP, she said, is the biggest factory of producing lawlessness. “They will take over your land, just like they did in neighbouring Jharkhand,” she said.

At Lalgarh, she reminded people about rapes and deaths of women in recent times.

“Do you remember the violence here during the Left Front rule? The same ‘harmads’ (strongmen) are with the BJP now. They will unleash violence here and loot your property, your family members. I have information that they are bringing in people from outside. The borders between states need to be sealed,” she said.