Supreme Court rebuke of Mamata hands BJP extra ammo on poll eve

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court's rebuke of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for her interference in ED raids on I-PAC, which worked for her govt and Trinamool Congress, handed BJP a useful weapon on the eve of the state polls' first phase as the party intensified its last-minute push in its bid to end her 15-year tenure in office.

BJP seized on the top court's sharp observations to allege that she symbolised "jungle raj" and anarchy, and had no right to continue as the CM. People will rid the state of her lawless govt on May 4 (day of counting), party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said on Wednesday.




BJP functionaries, especially in West Bengal, amplified SC's criticism of her as they worked up a multi-pronged campaign on the eve of the first phase of polling.

Residents in parts of Kolkata woke up to "anonymous" posters sharing a QR code (pay2tmc) for availing different benefits, a pointed jibe at the alleged cut-money practice linked to TMC, in what many saw as part of BJP's amplification of its outreach and ground game in its rival's stronghold of south Bengal where polling is due in the second phase on April 29.

Home minister Amit Shah presided over a marathon meeting that went well past midnight (Wednesday) in the state's capital with key party functionaries, taking feedback and giving instructions aimed at booth management and mobilising maximum turnout of party supporters, especially in the second phase regions where BJP has trailed TMC badly in previous polls. Shah, BJP's lead poll strategist, will be camping in the state till April 27, the last day of campaign as BJP makes an all-out effort.

The view within BJP is that it has managed to build a potent narrative riding twin planks of anti-incumbency against Mamata, one of the most formidable opposition satraps, and its outreach buoyed by its Hindutva agenda, welfare promises targeting women and youths and action against infiltrators.

BJP functionaries believe what makes this election distinct from 2021, when their party had run a strident campaign with an air of expectant victory but was humbled by Mamata as Trinamool Congress won a thumping 215 seats in the 288-member assembly, is that their cultural narrative has set deeper roots and their ground presence has more breadth.

This coupled with SIR and a huge presence of central police forces has to a large extent neutralised certain advantages governing parties in the state have long enjoyed through poll irregularities, they claimed.
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