Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday alleged that the recent elections in West Bengal were manipulated through “multi-layered mafiagiri", claiming democratic processes had been undermined through fear, force and administrative interference.
Talking to reporters after meeting outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kolkata residence, Yadav accused the BJP, central agencies and the Election Commission of orchestrating what he termed an “election loot.”
Commenting on the murder of Chandranath Rath, the aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, Yadav held Union Home Minister Amit Shah accountable. “The Home Minister is responsible for this. How did his PA get murdered? People should ask the Home Minister how this happened, by tagging him on Twitter,” he said.
Yadav said he met Mamata along with Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee and asserted that opposition parties must unite against what he described as systematic electoral fraud. “Today, all of us together have to stand up against election fraud,” Yadav said. “When elections were conducted honestly, Didi won. But this time, because of the multi-layered ‘mafiagiri’ involving the BJP, the Election Commission, their associates, and underground elements, no one could have imagined such manipulation.”
Yadav also accused the central forces and the Election Commission of intimidating voters and opposition workers during polling. He also claimed that TMC leaders and workers were facing serious security threats. “The behaviour directed toward political workers and party officials here is unprecedented. Whether it is Abhishek or Didi, they are facing serious security threats,” he said.
