‘No possibility of Trinamool winning’: Dilip Ghosh on Falta voting amid repoll order
New Delhi: Amid escalating political tensions over voting in West Bengal’s Falta Assembly constituency, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Sunday asserted that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) stands no chance of victory, alleging that recent actions are aimed at boosting the morale of its cadre.
“There is no possibility of TMC winning. They are doing all this to give mental support to their workers…” Ghosh told IANS while reacting to developments around polling in the constituency.
He further claimed that voters in the region have historically faced suppression and intimidation. “For many years, people were not able to vote. On the first day of the elections, at night, voter cards used to be snatched away from people…Today, people are coming out and protesting, saying that they are being stopped from voting, denied their rights, and threatened…” he added, alleging widespread irregularities.
The remarks come as the Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered a complete repoll across all 285 polling stations in the Falta Assembly constituency. The decision was taken after the poll panel cited “severe electoral offences” and what it described as a “subversion of the democratic process” during the second phase of voting held on April 29.
According to the Commission, repolling — including at auxiliary polling stations — will take place on May 21 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The counting of votes for Falta will be conducted on May 24, separately from the rest of the constituencies, where counting is scheduled for May 4, following the two-phase elections held on April 23 and April 29.
In addition to Falta, the poll body also ordered repolling at 15 polling booths in the Diamond Harbour and Magrahat Paschim constituencies. These booths were declared void based on reports submitted by Returning Officers and election observers.
The developments have intensified the political contest in West Bengal, with allegations and counter-allegations dominating the discourse as parties gear up for the repoll and the crucial counting days ahead.