After Mamata Banerjee’s TMC defeat in West Bengal Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday met the outgoing West Bengal CM at her residence in Kalighat and extended his moral support to her following her party`s electoral setback in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
During the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav told her, “Didi, you have not lost,” and alleged electoral fraud by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission of India in West Bengal, as per IANS.
Furthermore, the meeting was also attended by Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee, who welcomed Yadav to Mamata Banerjee`s house.
Speaking to the media on Thursday after the meeting, Yadav said that Opposition leaders must collectively stand against alleged electoral fraud.
Akhilesh added, “I have just met Didi (Mamata Banerjee). Abhishek was also with me. Today, all of us have to stand up to election fraud. When the election happened honestly, she won, but this time, because of the multi-layered `mafiagiri` that happened in the election, no one could have imagined that this kind of fraud could be done by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Election Commission, their associates, the spies and the underground people,” as cited by IANS.
Akhilesh Yadav alleges irregular deployment of forces by BJP
Akhilesh further compared Bengal`s situation with the previous Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Yadav also said that what the Bharatiya Janata Party had done in Uttar Pradesh amounted to a betrayal, adding that it was a trial for them, and they learned from it and influenced the entire process in other states.
The Samajwadi Party chief also claimed that there was irregular deployment of forces and administrative interference during the polls.
He also added, “Central forces, the Election Commission, and transfer postings – I have observed the Uttar Pradesh elections very closely. We complained about numerous officials, yet neither the Director General of Police, the Chief Secretary, nor any district officials were removed. However, during the Bengal elections, they took over the entire structure. They were instructed to defeat them… Many people have been granted 15 days of leave; the Central Force has never been given such an extended leave before,” as per IANS.
Akhilesh Yadav also said that the effort would be to ensure that everyone works together, because democracy needs to be protected.
(With inputs from IANS)