Mamata Banerjee's opponent Priyanka Tibrewal at Bhabanipur receives notice for poll code violation

Kolkata, Sep 15: The Election Commission sent a show-case notice to Priyanka Tibrewal, who is taking on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Bhabanipur by-poll. She is accused of violating the poll code of conduct by accompanying a huge number of followers to file the nomination.

The TMC had filed a complaint that she violated the Model Code of Conduct and Covid-related guidelines by gathering "an unruly mob" which was not less than 500 without taking prior permission. She had also performed a Bengali traditional dance on her way to file the nomination papers.

The notice has also mentioned the traffic congestion caused due to the gathering of BJP supporters on Sambhunath Pundit Street on Tuesday.

However, she has denied the allegations stating that the TMC is trying to create hurdles to her campaigning out of fear and filed a complaint with the Election Commission.

"The Election Commission has sent me a letter after the TMC filed a complaint alleging that I had taken a huge number of people when I had gone to file my nominations and thus violated the Model Code of Conduct as well as COVID-19 protocols. I will reply whatever will be my answer," she said.

According to her, only Suvendhu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in the assembly election held in May, of accompanying her and the BJP supporters gathered on their own.

She said. "I had not led any crowd. It's not my duty to see who was on the roads on bikes and four-wheelers. It's the job of the police and the local administration," she added.

Tibrewal is facing Mamata Banerjee and CPI (M)'s Srijib Biswas in the by-poll scheduled to be held on 30 September. The counting of the votes will be done on 3 October. It is a do-or-die situation for the Chief Minister as she has to win the bypoll to retain her Chief Minister's place.