Oppn parties back Mamata; her decision not to quit a protest against Centre & EC, says Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision not to quit after her defeat in the assembly polls, calling it a part of her protest against the Centre and the Election Commission of India. The Opposition NCP (SP) also came out in support of Trinamool Congress (TMC) head Banerjee, alleging that democratic processes were subverted in West Bengal, and central agencies and administrative machinery were used to influence the electoral outcome.

Speaking to reporters, Raut asserted that it is necessary to unite against the “dictatorship of the Centre and partisan behaviour of the Election Commission”. The poll body has become a “slave” of the Centre, the Rajya Sabha member charged.

The Opposition has to decide whether it has to contest the polls or not, he said.

“Mamata Banerjee not resigning is part of her agitation against the government (Centre), the Election Commission (EC) and a series of acts against democracy,” Raut said. It has to be seen what direction the agitation takes, he added. Alleging that the West Bengal assembly poll verdict was “not a people's mandate but a conspiracy”, Banerjee on Tuesday refused to resign as chief minister.

The BJP on Monday sealed a landslide victory with 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, ending the TMC’s uninterrupted 15-year rule. Banerjee dismissed the outcome as “engineered” and asserted that her party was fighting the Election Commission, not the BJP. The TMC could only manage 80 seats. In a post on Facebook, Raut said Banerjee’s decision not to quit is fully justified. He also sought to draw a parallel with the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis. The then Chief Justice of India had observed during hearings on petitions seeking the disqualification of rebel MLAs of the undivided Shiv Sena that Uddhav Thackeray, who headed the party at the time, could have been reinstated as chief minister had he not resigned, Raut pointed out.

The parliamentarian said Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray called up Banerjee after the recently concluded polls and extended support. Almost all the INDIA bloc leaders have called Banerjee and extended their support to her.

“We have to come together if we have to unite against the dictatorship of the Centre and the partisan behaviour of the EC or the way the poll body has become slaves of the government,” Raut said.

He claimed that even many in the government do not agree with the “degradation of democracy”.

NCP (SP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase claimed that democratic processes were undermined in West Bengal, and central agencies and administrative machinery were used to influence the poll outcome.

Speaking to reporters, he stressed the need for a detailed analysis.

Institutions such as the Election Commission and agencies like the CBI, Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate and CRPF were used in a manner that put pressure on the electoral process, the leader from Sharad Pawar's party alleged.

Drawing a parallel with Maharashtra, he said similar circumstances had prevailed there earlier and were now being witnessed in West Bengal.

Tapase claimed voters were prevented from exercising their franchise freely due to the presence and actions of central forces and agencies, raising concerns over the fairness of the election.