Election Commission operating under Modi's directions: Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced that her party would lend support to the opposition INDIA bloc from outside to establish the government at the Centre and vowed to repeal the CAA, NRC and UCC once the BJP government is voted out of power.

Expressing skepticism about the BJP's ambitious target of achieving 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, she said people will reject them totally.

"BJP is claiming to win 400 seats, but people are saying it will not happen. We (TMC) will support the INDIA bloc from outside to form a government at the Centre. We will extend our support so that in (West) Bengal, our mothers and sisters never face a problem... and those who work in the 100 days' job scheme, also do not face problems," Banerjee said.

The TMC supremo, who was addressing an election rally at Chinsurah, Hooghly district, however, clarified that in West Bengal, her party would not support the Congress and CPI(M). Banerjee alleged that both the parties, who are part of the INDIA alliance, have joined hands and helping the BJP in the state.

"Do not count on the CPI(M) and the Congress in Bengal. They are not with us, they are with the BJP here. I am talking about that (INDIA bloc) in Delhi," she clarified.

Addressing the rally, Banerjee criticised the EC for scheduling the polls over a period of two months, alleging that this decision favoured the saffron party while disregarding the hardships faced by the common people due to excessive heat.

"The Election Commission is a puppet and operates according to Modi's directions. Poll is being held for two-and-half months, have you (poll officials) ever realised the struggle of the common people," Banerjee said.

Accompanying the party's Hooghly nominee actress Rachana Banerjee, the CM accused Modi of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by allegedly announcing plans to expand the Ayushman Bharat Yojana to cover senior citizens over 70 years of age during the ongoing elections.

"Why are you saying this now when the elections are on? You should have announced this earlier... Modi babu, you are violating the MCC," she said.

Banerjee declared her party's unwavering stance against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), and Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Bengal.

Later, Banerjee participated in a roadshow from Ichapur Water Tank to Pilkhana More in Howrah in support of the party's Howrah Lok Sabha candidate Prasun Banerjee.