'Just spreading rumours': BJP dismisses TMC's ballot box 'tampering' charges amid ongoing protests

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata party on Thursday hit out at the All India Trinamool Comgress (TMC), dismissing the latter allegations on postal ballot box tampering.

On the accusations that the BJP “in active collusion” with the Election Commission “is opening ballot boxes without the presence of any relevant party stakeholders”, BJP leader Tapas Roy said that the ruling party leaders “are spreading rumours” as they “are preparing ground for their defeat” in the assembly polls.

Roy arrived at Netaji Indoor Stadium as TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a protest over the allegations. “We will deploy two persons to look after the strong room...They (TMC) are just spreading rumours as they are preparing ground for their defeat...Three-layer security arrangements are here,” he told reporters, as quoted by ANI.

"They cannot do this. They cannot assemble in front of the strong room. No sit-in demonstration or slogan shouting should happen in front of a strong room. This is wrong. Why did the Kolkata Police allow it?...What manipulation are they (TMC) accusing us of? Two of us had come here when we heard about it. We came when we were told to visit here," he added.

This came as TMC leader Shashi Panja accused BJP leaders of creating a ruckus, saying the protest had been peaceful before their arrival. “We were sitting on the dharna peacefully...BJP leaders created a ruckus here,” she said.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh also levelled allegations against the BJP, questioning why he and others were not allowed entry while Roy was. “We were removed, but Tapas da went inside. What do you call this? That is like their own party office. These agent central police with the BJP people... it is not in the hands of the Kolkata police; even the Kolkata police personnel are now all appointed by the Election Commission. As a result, our... Hey, if he is a candidate, we are also candidates. Will you remove a candidate?” he said.

“We were there in a peaceful manner. They were here with the intention of stealing; they were working here secretly, opening the strong room without informing anyone before our people reached. After Dr. Panja, I, and our team arrived, we intervened and brought this to attention. Even then, we were not allowed to enter. Later, when we were sitting peacefully, and our work and discussions were going on, the BJP came and caused trouble. Why is the BJP so envious?” he added.

The matter escalated when , the TMC put forward their accusations against the BJP, calling it “the murder of democracy in broad daylight”.
In a post on X, the party also shared a video and described the alleged “opening of ballot boxes” as gross electoral fraud. “ALARMING This is the murder of democracy in broad daylight. CCTV footage has exposed how @BJP4India, in active collusion with the @ECISVEEP, is opening ballot boxes without the presence of any relevant party stakeholders. This is gross electoral fraud being committed openly with the full knowledge and protection of the Election Commission,” the party said.

The party further accused the BJP of trying “every dirty trick” to defeat it in the assembly polls and “stooping to tampering with EVMs” in desperation. “They have tried every dirty trick, name deletion, voter intimidation, Central Force terror, cash flooding, and failed miserably. Now, in sheer desperation, they have stooped to tampering with EVMs. But Bengal is not Maharashtra, Delhi, or Bihar. We will not sit silently and watch them loot our democracy,” it said.

The development comes a day after the second and final phase of polling in West Bengal, which recorded a voter turnout of 92.67 per cent. Votes are scheduled to be counted on May 4.

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