CM replies to EC notice, but her chief babu is in trouble

KOLKATA: Point made, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has replied to the EC notice on poll code violation, but it is her chief secretary, Basudeb Banerjee, who finds it hard to wriggle out of the strongly worded EC notice to him.

The EC has asked the chief secretary to explain his choice of words in casting aspersion on the constitutional body. The chief secretary has a 5pm deadline on Thursday to explain his action.

Banerjee, like his predecessor Samar Ghosh during the Left Front's rule in 2011, first wrote to EC arguing against the removal of Rajeev Kumar as city police commissioner. Five years back, Ghosh, too, had in a three-page letter questioned the removal of Gautam Mohan Chakraborty from the same post. But Banerjee didn't stop at that. In his second letter to the EC on behalf of the chief minister, he chided the commission for lack of due diligence before show-causing Mamata for model code of conduct violation. Banerjee refused to speak to reporters but sources said he discussed the matter with legal experts.

Sensing the obvious discomfiture, CPM on Wednesday demanded the chief secretary's removal alleging bias.

The tone of Banerjee's letter visibly peeved the EC. The commission's principal secretary R K Srivastava, in his letter, reportedly showed the chief secretary the rule book. The EC principal secretary R K Srivastava pointed out that part VII of MCC (under which the CM has been show-caused) speci -caused) specifically provides that no cause is given for any complaint that the ruling party and the ministers have used their official position for the purpose of their election campaigns."By writing the aforesaid letter by the orders of the Chief Minister the above provision of the MCC also has not been duly observed," he mentioned.

The chief minister's reply (party vice-president Mukul Roy confirmed the development at a party meeting in Howrah) reportedly gives the same argument as that was forwarded in the chief secretary's reply -that her announcement of the Asansol-Durgapur district was reiteration of a December 18 cabinet decision that was also discussed in the state assembly .

She also argues that much of what she announced was in public domain and the poll panel should have cross-checked before slapping her with the show-cause.

Trinamool, however, claims it's point was proved by the EC fresh notice to Mamata Banerjee as the Trinamool Congress chairperson.

"By writing the aforesaid letter by the orders of the Chief Minister the above provision of the MCC also has not been duly observed," Srivastava mentioned.