Nandigram RO did not order recounting as he feared for life: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, May 3: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed on Monday the returning officer of Nandigram did not order recounting of votes even after she demanded it as he feared for his life.

Addressing a press meet, Banerjee reaffirmed she will move court over the election result in the constituency where she lost narrowly to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari.

Banerjee made public a purported SMS from the RO to an official in the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer, where he voiced fear he could face dire consequences if he ordered recounting, and may even have to die by suicide.

"How can EC reverse Nandigram result after formally announcing it? We will move court against this," she said. "Why was the server down for four hours? We are willing to accept people's mandate but if the result of one place has anomalies, there may be something beyond what appears. We have to seek the truth," she added.

Hitting out at the Election Commission, she claimed that the BJP would not have crossed the 50 seat mark if the poll panel had not helped it.