WB: BJP approaches CEO, after leaders denied permission to hold rallies

Amit Shah

Kolkata (West Bengal): After BJP president Amit Shah was denied permission to hold a rally in Jadavpur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday met the state's Chief Electoral Officer accusing TMC of using the state's police and administration to suppress the BJP.

"CM Mamata Banerjee is contesting elections using police and administration of the state because she has lost people support. That is why she is trying to suppress BJP using the government. They do not give permission for our leaders to hold rallies in the state," BJP leader Sunil Deodhar told reporters here.

"The District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas Ratnakar Rao is working as an agent of TMC. We have told the CEO that he should be removed. BJP president's rally also denied permission. Yogi Adityanath has to hold rallies in all 5 LS seats of South 24 Parganas district on May 15. But EC denied permission," he said.

The BJP leader underlined that they did not face such problems anywhere else in the country. Speaking on the elections, Deodhar said: "In 2014, the results of Uttar Pradesh shook everyone. And in 2019, it will be West Bengal which will surprise all."

Earlier in the day, the BJP also staged a protest outside the CEO's office here alleging bias in holding the Lok Sabha elections in the state. Nine parliamentary constituencies including Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin and Kolkata Uttar will vote in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal on May 19.

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